Friday night is restaurant night in our family. We meal plan and shop for the week and cook Saturday through Thursday, so by Friday all bets are off. We’re tired and we look forward to someone else doing the cooking. Our 4-year-old enjoys sitting in a booth with crayons or a toy and is — thankfully — past the very messy eater phase. She loves eating out as much as we do. We don’t eat fancy or five star on Fridays, but we have found a rotation of a few local spots that have both reliably good food and an atmosphere that is neither Chuck E. Cheese’s or the Ritz. Here’s the round up — check out one of these five restaurant gems next time you’re near the Arlington area.
1. Menotomy Grill
Menotomy Grill opened a couple years ago in East Arlington (practically Cambridge) on Massachusetts Ave. near Alewife Brook Parkway. The menu is simple, with classic hamburgers, flatbread pizza, and wonderful and flavorful fish, chicken, soups, and other “tavern” fare. We love making our early bird reservations on Open Table, and even when we don’t we never have trouble getting a comfy booth before 6 p.m. The waitstaff are friendly — just this week when I arrived with my daughter (Daddy was on a business trip) the waitress admired her My Little Pony, asked her about her school, and offered to share a book. They go above AND beyond. My girl is a bit fixated on their Texas toast grilled cheese, though I’m sure she’ll branch out someday. With easy parking, great prices, great cocktails, and crayons to color with, it’s a win every time we go.
NYAJ’s is the only chain restaurant we frequent (in Arlington or in travels). Located on Mass Ave. in Arlington Center, it’s convenient to public parking, street parking, and several MBTA bus routes. Recently redecorated inside, this is a pretty large restaurant with a small bar area and exposed pizza oven/kitchen. We always opt for a booth, and during the 5-6 p.m. hour the place is full of families with small children. It has an extensive menu, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. NYAJ’s does burgers, pizza, salads, crab cakes, and seafood really well. We have mixed results when we venture to special or new entrees. The staff and service are usually excellent, and they are very understanding of small or big kids. We opt to make reservations, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, as it does get busy and wait times can exceed 20 minutes. Open Table is my best weapon for avoiding a long wait with small kids.
3. Thai e Sarn
This is our go-to Thai restaurant for dine in or take out. Also on Mass Ave. in Arlington Heights (heading almost to Lexington), they have an extensive menu and great food — and it’s not crowded (I think most of their business is take out). A lovely dining room with booths provides the little ones with a great view of bus traffic on Mass Ave., so there is entertainment before the appetizers arrive. Hits are the steamed gyoza, pad thai, pad see ew, and more. It’s generally easy to park on Mass Ave., there is fast and friendly service, and they don’t mind if my girl gently touches the decorations. We keep coming back. And bonus — right next door is the delicious and hard-to-pass-up Lakota Bakery, which is worth a trip of its own for their cookies.
4. The Madrona Tree
We discovered this one thanks to a dinner date with a preschool friend and parents. Though the inside is quite small, there is a well-stocked toy area for kids to pick and play as they like while waiting for dinner to come. The menu offers plenty of organic, hormone-free, locally produced, vegetarian, and other options. They also cater and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner — it’s hard to come by a place that does it all and does it pretty well. I appreciate that kids’ meals come with a vegetable or fruit, and cookies are optional. They only take cash, so be prepared. For spring/summer/early fall dining, there is great patio seating on the sidewalk.
5. Za
The Arlington location of Za is also on Mass Ave. (I guess that’s our theme here), and they have a second spot in Cambridge. Farm-fresh ingredients and inventive combinations make for delicious salads, pizzas, and desserts appealing to a wide range of tastes and appetites. We’ve tried the sweet potato and bacon pizza, and we also eat the everyday cheese. Both are delicious. They don’t take reservations and can be busy on weekends. They have crayons and coloring paper for the little ones, and the early dinner crowd is definitely the stroller set. Craft beers and homemade pecan pie round out the upsides for me.
What are some of your favorite kid-friendly spots in Arlington and around?
