13 Places Where Your Toddler Can Eat and Play

If you’re a toddler parent, I hope you’re getting out into the world and letting professionals cook for you every now and then. I know sometimes it seems like a battle not worth fighting — at this stage, you’re lucky if your toddler eats the food at all and keeping them entertained at the table is a moment-by-moment challenge. Well, here’s a list of places to eat and play in the Portland-area where your wiggly little one can be a bit more free range (supervision is always required) while you enjoy something yummy without having to do dishes. Ahh, this is the life.

Hopworks Brewery (Creston-Kenilworth)

Find a hearty variety of quality pub fare at this casual sit-down brewery and restaurant with fun bike decor. Ask to be seated near the play area, a cozy corner nook with toys, books and space for a few little ones to play. Pro tip: Kids under 12 eat for $4.95 every Wednesday. 

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Sunday – Wednedsday, 11:30 am – 9 pm; Thursday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 10 pm

Crux Fermentation Project (Hosford-Abernethy)

This friendly brewery has a full spectrum lineup of craft beers and a food menu with refreshing twists on familiar fare. The spacious kids’ play area is upstairs and out of the way of those dining sans kiddos, featuring a play kitchen, grocery counter, cars and an activity cube.

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 11:30 am – 9 pm; Friday, 11:30 am – 10 pm; Saturday, 11 am – 10 pm; Sunday, 11 am – 8 pm; closed Monday

The Zed (Lents)

Zoiglhaus Brewing Company has been remodeled to an indoor food hall, retaining its enclosed kids play area. The German brewery offers a sausage-focused menu and if that’s not your thing, you’ll likely find something yummy at any of the eight other independent restaurants in the space. 

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu (at Zoiglhaus) and a changing table in some bathrooms
Hours: Noon to 9:30 pm every day

Two Sisters Play Café (Milwaukie)

This pay-to-play café ($4.75 child / $8.50 for 2 children) has a whole room dedicated to play, with tables abutting big pass-throughs that look into the play area. The climbing structure, slide, ball pit, toys and coloring pages could keep a toddler happy for hours. A good place to get some work done on the free Wifi while your kiddo makes friends. 

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 8 a.m. – 3 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday

Space Monkey Café (Mt. Scott-Arleta)

This quirky neighborhood café, with a full art gallery wall, has a surprisingly extensive breakfast and lunch menu of sandwiches, serving Gabriel’s bagels and Cellar Door coffee. The kids play area is a narrow column of play kitchen counters with toys — it’s not the most spacious — enough to keep a little one occupied for a quick meal.

Amenities: one high chair
Hours: 7 am – 4 pm every day

Buranko Café (Downtown)

One of the more spacious and adorable play areas is here at this Asian-inspired comfort food restaurant. Lined with a grass-green shag rug, the play space offers a small climbing structure, wooden rocking arch, play kitchen and other toys and books. Your toddler won’t want to leave — and with an incredible menu like this, neither will you. 

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 11 am – 9 pm; Friday and Saturday, 11 am – 10 pm; Sunday, noon to 9 pm

Mother’s Bistro & Bar (Old Town)

This sit-down restaurant offers a very cute play area with lime green pony walls partially enclosing the play space. Open for brunch and dinner, this restaurant is the passion project of executive chef and owner Lisa Schroeder, who decided “what the world needed was a place which served ‘Mother Food’ – slow-cooked dishes, such as braises and stews, made with love.”

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Tuesday, 5 – 9 pm; Wednesday and Thursday, 9 am – 2 pm and 5 – 9 pm; Friday and Saturday, 9 am – 2 pm and 5 – 10 pm; Sunday, 9 am – 2 pm

Boulevard Taphouse (Capitol Hill)

This charming community tavern offers 14 rotating beers and other beverages alongside a menu known for its fish and chips. The owners and patrons couldn’t be more welcoming of children. The play area is upstairs, in its own room adjoining a table seating area, featuring a play table, trucks, toddler-sized chairs, blocks and more.

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 3 – 8 pm; Friday and Saturday, 3 – 9 pm

Lazy Days Brewing Co. (Eliot)

This play area’s got a foam puzzle mat with a few bookshelves and toy bins. Plenty of space for a little one to play while parents enjoy their tantalizing Detroit style pizza and wide ranging taplist.

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Monday – Tuesday, 3 – 9 pm; Wednesday and Thursday, noon – 9 pm; Friday, noon – 10 pm; Saturday, 11 am – 10 pm; Sunday, 11 am – 9 pm

Posies Bakery & Café (Kenton)

This airy café serves sandwiches on Grand Central bread with the option to sub for gluten-free New Cascadia bread or a bagel. The clean and whimsical play area is in an adjoining nursery-size room with ample space for several toddlers to waddle around and find things of interest, and a big picture window visible from the seating area. 

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: 7 am – 4:30 pm every day

Just Bob (Concordia)

If the unicorn theme isn’t enough to keep your little one occupied (try to spot them all!), the corner play area with its large wooden doll house, soft chairs, books and other toys are sure to do the job. This magical coffee shop’s play area stocks both hand sanitizer and a cleaning caddy nearby for parents to use. And the menu offers very reasonably-priced items from snacks to meals including wraps, bagels, waffles, scrambles—plus a $5 kids mac n cheese.

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Monday – Tuesday, 7 am – 3 pm; Wednesday – Sunday, 7 am – 4 pm

Deschutes Brewery (Pearl District)

The play area at this popular brewery is only about a year old, and it’s quickly become a family favorite. The cushy floor looks like grass, they’ve got a kitchen set, table and chairs, and a book tree with books for children from babies to middle schoolers. You can be seated at a nearby table or utilize the playroom bench if dining in the main area. They’ve even got a comfy chair for nursing and room for strollers.

Amenities: high chairs, a kids’ menu and a changing table
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 11:30 am – 9 pm; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 am – 10 pm

Well & Good Café (Bonny Slope)

This Bonny Slope café serves up coffee sourced and locally roasted by Sisters Coffee. Their play area is a wonder-filled tiny room with the words “Well & Good Junior” proudly exhibited above a child-sized doorway. Breakfast and lunch are served daily until 2 pm.

Amenities: high chairs and a changing table
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7 am – 4 pm; Saturday – Sunday, 8 am – 2 pm