Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in the Rivertowns

2/21/14 - By Katie Karpenstein

We continue our month-long coverage of the Rivertowns in Westchester, a collection of quaint villages along the Hudson. For the purposes of our posts, we're including the villages of Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Ossining, Croton-on-Hudson and the city of Peekskill. Route 9 runs straight through, making it easy to zip from town to town exploring the parks, playgrounds, and historic sites.

We've already told you about fantastic local coffee shops in the Rivertowns. But if your stomach is really grumbling (and so are your kids'), there are plenty of family-friendly dining options as well. Read on for details on 10 of our favorite places for dining and dessert in the Rivertowns. 

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Wobble Café - Ossining
21 Campwoods Road
This place is as kid-friendly as they come. A comfortable, old-fashioned diner atmosphere puts patrons right at ease and there's a well-stocked play area right next to the tables. The menu offers a wide range of affordable comfort food (with healthy options). The sizable children's menu will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Don't forget to finish with some chocolate fondue!

Sweet Grass Grill - Tarrytown
24 Main Street
My family loves this place because it's nice enough for a date night, but casual enough for a meal with the kids. The focus here is on local, seasonal food--everything is fresh and delicious, with many vegetarian options. A small but solid children's menu keeps the kids happy, while the selection of draft beers puts a smile on my husband's face.

Lubins 'n' Links - Tarrytown
38 Main Street
This tiny hot dog place is a popular spot for a quick but satisfying lunch. Choose one of a zillion toppings for your link, or try a 'Lubin,' their signature slow-cooked shredded beef on a bun. There’s no inside seating, but you can go around back to eat in their garden, weather permitting. Cash only.

The Black Cat Café - Irvington
45 Main Street
This friendly, unassuming café is good for a quick coffee and pastry, but it’s also a local favorite breakfast and lunch spot for folks with small children. The regular menu--including eggs, soups, sandwiches and more--is kid-friendly on its own. There are also a few special items just for kids including a Nutella Panini. Yum! Cash only.

Tomatillo - Dobbs Ferry
13 Cedar Street
Tomatillo serves flavorful Mexican food with a lighter, organic twist. Diners might choose a traditional taco platter or branch out with one of their specials featuring local ingredients like chard and squash. The kids’ menu is reasonably priced and very tasty. My picky eater will not eat beans in any form at our house, but somehow he loves their kids’ bean burrito. Go figure.

Slices - Hastings-on-Hudson
14 Main Street
There are plenty of great pizza places in the area, but the super-friendly owner keeps me coming back to Slices. It’s nice to know that no one’s going to give me the stink-eye when my kid spills her juice. Have a slice, share a whole pie, or order a classic Italian-American entrée. There’s also a kids’ menu with items like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken fingers.

Nonna's Brick Oven Pizzeria & Restaurant - Peekskill
1843 East Main Street
Located in the Beach Shopping Center, Nonna's has a regular to-go style pizza counter with seating in the front and a small, full restaurant in the back. The service is quick and the food is always good--with HUGE servings. All of the wait staff dotes on and interacts with little kids. They are quick to notice if a slice is for a child and will ask if you want it cut into smaller pieces or hand it right to you with-out heating it up (or will deliver the kid's food the moment it's ready- no waiting). The restaurant in the back is all booths. Can't recommend the spicy chicken pizza highly enough! 

Yellow Brick Café - Peekskill
51 Hudson Avenue
This is a great breakfast and lunch location overlooking the Peekskill waterfront. Their service can be a bit slow, so don't go when you've reached crisis point, but kids can watch the trains go by from the huge front windows and can watch boats go up and down the river. There is an open cooking counter with barstools where kids can sit and watch their food get cooked (if the place isn't crowded). Added bonus--they make real old-fashioned milkshakes. Though there isn't a separate kids menu, they do serve pancakes, grilled cheese, hot dogs and hamburgers as part of the regular menu. The Riverfront Green playground is just across the street in case the kids want to play after eating. All of their food is also available for advance-order take-out and you can order directly on their website.

And for dessert...

By the Way Bakery - Hastings-on-Hudson
574 Warburton Avenue
This charming shop is beloved for its tasty gluten-free goodies. They’ve got cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more--all made from scratch. The inspiration for the bakery's name holds true: They create delicious desserts that (by the way) are gluten-free.

Main Street Sweets - Tarrytown
35 Main Street
This is the kind of ice cream parlor your parents went to as kids. Everything here is homemade by the owners, and the scoops are generous. Pick out a topping (or five) and sit inside, or grab a sidewalk table and do some people-watching.

Check our our Kid Friendly Restaurant Guide for more ideas for dining out in Westchester!

Image courtesy of Sweet Grass Grill

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