23 Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Columbus & Suburbs

Northstar Café is an Ohio‑based restaurant chain founded in 2004, known for its modern, health‑aware take on “New American” cuisine with a strong emphasis on organic, locally sourced, and artisan ingredients. Its menu spans breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, featuring items like veggie burgers, brick‑oven pizzas, creative bowls, and house‑made breads and sauces.

Kelly R said:  Northstar Cafe serves food made with carefully selected locally grown, organic, and artisan produced ingredients, in a casual and friendly environment. The kids menu is wonderful and has a nice variety!

Brassica is a fast-casual Mediterranean-inspired restaurant founded in Columbus in 2015, emphasizing fresh ingredients, organic whole-wheat pita, and customizable bowls, salads, and sandwiches. It blends a commitment to sustainability with vibrant flavors, offering options like house falafel, braised meats, and regional craft beverages. 

Kelly R said:  Brassica is a Mediterranean counter-service restaurant with a very kid-friendly atmosphere, but don't let that fool you - the food is phenomenal. Choose a sandwich, salad, or hummus plate, and employees customize your creation in an assembly line. The ingredients are fresh, high-quality, and often local. Many of the choices are vegetarian friendly - wonderful falafel and a variety of interesting and creative vegetable add-ons. Craft beer is offered on draft.

Harvest Pizzeria is a Columbus‑based eatery known for its artisanal pizzas, small plates, salads, burgers, and craft cocktails, all built around the philosophy of locally sourced ingredients

Swensons Drive‑In is a nostalgic Ohio‑born chain established in 1934 by Wesley “Pop” Swenson, famous for its classic carhop service, where customers turn on their headlights to place orders. Its signature item is the Galley Boy — a double cheeseburger with two special sauces — and its menu also includes milkshakes, onion rings, and “Potato Teezers.”

101 Craft Kitchen offers handcrafted, rustic food in a casual atmosphere. The restaurant strives to provide a unique menu that is well-thought out and changes seasonally.

Katie G. said:  Kids will receive their menu on a clipboard where they can check off their entree, sides and desserts. Kids meals come on a school lunch-style tray and are unique, fresh and tasty. Mom and Dad can enjoy one (or two) of the several varieties of beer or wine off the drink list.

Cap City Fine Diner & Bar blends nostalgic diner charm with elevated comfort food, offering familiar dishes like meatloaf and grilled cheese with creative twists. Its retro‑cool desserts are oversized showstoppers, and the ambiance feels artsy and welcoming. Frequent diners have even voted its burger “best in Central Ohio,” showing it’s beloved for both its style and substance.

Katalina’s is a beloved Columbus café known for its creative brunch and breakfast dishes with a Latin and Southern twist. It’s particularly famous for its Original Pancake Ball — fluffy, stuffed or filled breakfast bites drizzled with local maple syrup. Housed in a renovated 100‑year‑old gas station, Katalina’s uses locally sourced ingredients and maintains a playful, eclectic decor that draws long lines on weekend mornings.

Pies & Pints is a pizza-and-craft-beer restaurant. It’s known for offering specialty pies (like Chicken Gouda or Grape & Gorgonzola), a rotating selection of draft beer (with a strong emphasis on Ohio breweries), and a casual, friendly atmosphere. 

Son of Thurman is a family-owned burger and sandwich restaurant rooted in the legacy of the original Thurman Café in Columbus, Ohio. It operates in both Delaware and Galena, featuring massive signature burgers like the “Thurmanator” that draw both locals and visitors. 

Schmidt’s German Village’s menu is anchored in traditional German cuisine, featuring signature sausage platters like the “Bahama Mama,” bratwurst, knockwurst, and a sampler served over hot kraut with German potato salad and applesauce.

Katie G. said:  Schmidt's Sausage Haus, located in German Village, has been entertaining and serving Columbus for over 130 years. Schmidt's makes all their German sausages fresh and in-house with several varieties to choose from mild to spicy. Save room for dessert, as Schmidt's is known for a jumbo cream puff which is big enough for the whole family to share.

Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace is a Columbus hot‑dog institution known for its quirky menu full of creative dog variations and nearly 50 topping options. They cater to diverse tastes by offering beef, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten‑free bun options.

Katzinger’s Delicatessen is a beloved Columbus, Ohio deli that’s been serving traditional New York‑style sandwiches since opening in 1984 in German Village. It’s known for its from‑scratch corned beef, pastrami, a wide selection of Jewish deli items (latkes, knishes, matzo ball soup), and a “pickle barrel” the way pickles should be—classic and plentiful. They've expanded to a second location in Dublin and also run a specialty foods store and full catering service, making it a go‑to for both casual sandwich cravings and more formal group meals. 

Giordano’s in Columbus is a Chicago‑style pizzeria, offering its signature stuffed deep‑dish pizzas along with thin‑crust, salads, Italian entrees, and desserts. Their stuffed pizzas are slow‑baked (taking about 45 minutes) with a flaky double‑crust, layered fillings, and generous Wisconsin mozzarella. 

Hofbräuhaus Columbus is a large German brewery-restaurant in Grandview Heights, modeled after the famous Hofbräuhaus in Munich, offering an authentic Bavarian beer hall experience with live music and large communal tables. Their menu features traditional German fare such as schnitzel, bratwurst, pork shank, and pretzels with beer cheese, along with burgers and other American‑inspired options, and decadent desserts, including their famous cream puffs.

Dewey’s Pizza is an upscale‑casual, gourmet pizza chain with multiple locations around Columbus, known for inventive specialty pies, craft beers, and scratch-made desserts. Their menu features unique options like the “Skyline Dip Deluxe,” seasonal pizzas, calzones, and fresh salads.

Kelly R said:  Dewey's offers a menu of specialty pizzas with options from safe to sophisticated, and the diverse and creative toppings are also available to build your own pie (thanks for getting my kids hooked on prosciutto!). All pies can be ordered half-and-half, so everyone can get what they want. Don't skip over the salads, which are delicious and creative and plenty large enough to share. The service is welcoming and attentive, and the large window looking into the kitchen means you might get to fit in some adult conversation while the kids watch the pizzas being tossed and assembled.