Treat the kids (and yourself) to a family-friendly meal in Hamilton at these kid-approved restaurants.
Jax Sweete Shoppe
33 King Street West, Dundas
Step back in time at this retro diner in downtown Dundas serving family friendly breakfast and lunches like fluffy pancake stacks and sweet and savoury crepes. Leave room for dessert with classics like banana splits and mile high sundaes. The kids will love the black and white checkered floors and swiveling counter stools.
Must Try: Crepes here come in all kinds of flavours including banana hazelnut crunch or strawberries and cream.
Festival Cafe
1013 King St East
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Go ahead and let the kids play with their food at this east end storefront near Tim Hortons Field serving up summer festival inspired food year-round. Think funnel cake, corn dogs, burgers and fried pickles. It's the next best thing to hitting up the midway together.
Must Try: Their famous funnel cakes come topped with icing sugar and cinnamon. The rest is up to you with options like strawberries, Nutella, frozen yogurt, whipped cream and tons of other toppings.
Electric Diner
96 George St
28 James St N
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With neon lights, disco balls, jukeboxes, and movies playing on a loop, your kids will ask why you haven't taken them to this 80's inspired retro diner sooner. From short stacks to burgers to classic mac n' cheese, the menu is packed with kid-friendly options to choose from.
Must-try: Look no further than one of Electric Diner's famous dishes, the CHZBRGR Fries, loaded with a chopped beef patty, cheese sauce, chipotle ketchup, awesome sauce, pickles, and iceberg lettuce.
The Dirty South
590 Concession St
10 Barton St E
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Take the family for brunch, lunch, or dinner at this BBQ joint serving up all things fried, smoked, pulled, and slow-cooked. With a kid-friendly menu for every time of day, your little ones can order a breakfast served with tater tots, oreo pancakes, or stick with an old faithful and enjoy a grilled cheese.
Must-try: The French(ish) Toast tastes just as good as it looks, topped with Reese’s peanut butter, bananas, and bacon.
Hambrgr
207 Ottawa St N
49 King William St
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Come for the burgers and stay for the milkshakes. Kids will feel right at home in this hip burger joint with a laid-back vibe. Famous for their mouthwatering (and mile-high) burgers, they also offer chicken sandwiches, and fun snacks to share. End your night on a sugar-high note and enjoy one of their extreme milkshakes.
Must-try: If you want to enjoy a uniquely Hambrgr experience, order the Chef Smash, a monthly feature created by the masterminds in the kitchen and only available for a limited time.
Moody’s Pizza Bar & Arcade
107 George St
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Pizza, plus arcade games, equals family fun for everyone. With signature pizzas, including vegan options, you can all share a pie or try out some of the non-pizza options on the menu. Your kids will thank you for bringing them to an arcade for dinner and the food will keep you coming back for more.
Must-try: The Mac Daddy pizza is worth the drive alone. The first bite of this pizza that tastes like the burger we all know and love is something you won't forget.
Hutch’s On The Beach
280 Van Wagners Beach Road
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It’s all smiles at this iconic beachside diner, open since 1946. Think classic hamburgers and hotdogs, poutine made with thick-cut fries, fish n’ chips, and classic milkshakes. Kids will love the retro details (like a working jukebox!) not to mention the beachfront location (cue playing in the sand).
Must-try: Hutch’s famous fish n’ chips followed by an ice cream cone or milkshake.
Memphis Fire BBQ
1091 Highway #8, Winona
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Have some napkins handy: mouth-watering plates like pulled pork, beef brisket, and hand-crafted burgers are all served with a smile at this southern barbecue joint. The atmosphere is laid back and totally kid-friendly with a diner feel and picnic table seating.
Must-try: Get a taste of Memphis’ most wanted with the slider combo while kids will love to munch on hand-held chicken drums and share family sized fries.
Mesa
255 James Street North
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Everyone is welcome at “Mesa” (“table” in Spanish) where the philosophy is to “dine together like family”. The spacious and colourful Mexican restaurant is relaxed and inviting, with a kid-friendly menu loaded with nachos, tamales, burritos, and tacos.
Must-try: Mesa’s burrito is the furthest thing from a child-friendly portion but it will not disappoint. Choose from pulled chicken, ground beef, beef barbacoa, chorizo, and vegetarian.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
35 York Boulevard
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The Hamilton Farmers' Market is full of good eats spread over two floors so everyone can get what they're craving. Choose from tacos (Mexican Kitchen and Latin Food and Products), freshly made sandwiches (Sam's Cheese and Meats, Romano Cheese), or sourdough donuts (Cafe Baffico).
Must-try: For something sweet visit Lina's European Pastries for an eye-popping selection of melt in your mouth cookies and pastries or Hotti Biscotti for an amazing selection of small-batch biscotti.
Must-try: For something sweet visit Lina’s European Pastries for an eye-popping selection of melt in your mouth cookies and pastries or Hotti Biscotti for an amazing selection of small batch biscotti.
Democracy
202 Locke Street South
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The vegetarian/vegan menu here includes a section for kids, too, like the kid-sized portion of their famous cauliflower wings and vegan grilled cheese. Dessert options include made-to-order crepes, local craft ice cream, and a rotating selection of baked goods (how good do Oreo stuffed cookie bars sound?).
Must-try: The house-made crispy falafel on a warm pita is simply delicious.
More Spots to Satisfy their sweet tooth
Finding a treat to satisfy any sweet tooth is a piece of cake. There are plenty of spots throughout the city to grab a treat after your meal, favourites include, Donut Monster, Chocolat on James, and Crumbled.