First let me start off by telling you that kid menus are more of a U.S. thing. A lot of countries around the world expect children to eat what everyone else is eating, therefore, a menu for little ones isn’t available. This was shocking for me when we first went out to eat in Quito, Ecuador.
I though it was odd for a such a family oriented culture not to have kid menus or restaurants with play areas for them. Needless, to say we spent a lot of time in McDonalds as a result. But quickly I got tired of that type of food, though I do love their salads. So, I started to explore other options and found three restaurants that I consider kid friendly or family friendly.
Remember don’t expect the same type of family friendly restaurant you would find in the U.S.! Here are three that we enjoy going to because there’s a playground and some even have a kids menu.
3 Kid Friendly Restaurants in Quito Ecuador
I like to go to these when I’m alone with the kids but need some “me” time without having to leave them with a sitter. Or we frequent these when we need a date (with the hubby) but can’t find a sitter.
Metro Café out by Mariscal on Avenida Orellana (There are other locations but I’m not sure if they have a playground.)just past J.W. Marriott. It has an outdoor playground with outdoor seating with umbrellas so you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather and still have an eye on the kiddos. They serve all sorts of food: sandwiches, burgers, steak… In the picture above, my kids are enjoying the playground while I read a book! The table is only a few feet away.
El Hornero over by Carolina Parque on Replica de Salvador y Avenida Naciones Unidas. (There are other locations but I’m not sure if they have a playground.) It’s almost directly in front of the Sheraton. I love that it has a balcony and I can still see my kiddos in the play area if I’m sitting out on the balcony. If you’re kiddos are older and you don’t feel like you need to keep a constant eye on them than you can sit anywhere on the second floor and still be near them. They also serve a variety of entrees but their specialty is pizza.
Rusty’s is a burger joint on Shyris Y Rio Coca (There are other locations but I’m not sure if they have a playground.) On the second floor they have an outdoor playground and tables where you can sit out or tables near the windows so you still have a clear view of the kiddos. They have yummy chicken burgers, curly fries and the main reason we go for their root beer. If you’ve lived here long enough you know that you can’t find root beer in Quito, Ecuador. (images from Rusty’s)
I was not compensated for this post, all opinions are my own.
Here are lots of great post for those of you wanting to Explore Ecuador as a Family. Just click on the image!
