Formative experiences as a parent who eats out with kids include: changing a baby’s nappy on the floor of a pub toilet, spending $15 on a kid’s meal only to have it go uneaten, trying and failing to prevent a loud, public tantrum.

This is a list of eateries where parents can avoid scenarios one and two. They’ve got amenities that suit kids and plenty of delicious food options that can be shared. Public tantrums are par for the course, but the presence of good food, good coffee or good beer will stop you from giving up and taking the family to McDonald’s.

Blair Street Dairy, Bondi
Bondi’s neighbourhood cafe Blair Street Dairy has everything a parent looks for in a venue: excellent coffee, high chairs, a change table in the loo, a kids’ menu and pram parking. This place, and nearby sister venue Bennett Street Dairy, were inspired by co-owner James Meek’s childhood. “A dairy in New Zealand is just your local family-owned corner shop. It’s the highlight of any suburb for a kid. It was a dream to go with a dollar in your pocket; you knew exactly what you were going to buy.”

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There are no lollies at Blair Street but the food is excellent, with plenty to entice the pickiest diner. The banana bread comes toasted with lots of butter, and there are sides to create a custom, deconstructed plate. “We’re all about simple things done well,” says Meek. “And most important for people bringing children, we have friendly staff.”

Ramen Zundo Sapporo, Chatswood
Thick tonkotsu pork broth might be an acquired taste for a child’s delicate palate, but Ramen Zundo’s recently opened Chatswood location serves the lighter, Sapporo-style version of the popular soup.
“At the World Square Ramen Zundo, when we make tonkotsu it takes a big flame, more time and someone stirring all the time to avoid burning,” says chef and co-owner Hiroki Nagao. “This one is a light soup, made from chicken, pork and vegetable stock.”

An abundance of springy noodles and tender morsels of minced pork make the Sapporo ramen ideal for sharing with kids, and although the broth is hearty, there’s not a hint of objectionable spiciness.

The first-floor space is large, with plenty of room for prams, and there are lifts from the ground floor.

MCA Cafe, The Rocks
The MCA Cafe is The Rocks’ best-kept secret, although that’s not deliberate. “It’s a bit of a hidden gem,” says executive chef Keith Higginson. “People don’t always think to go, which is a bit of a pity.”

A visit to the MCA is an excellent rainy-day activity for kids. There are free exhibits and plenty of school-holiday activities, and on Wednesdays mornings the museum hosts Artplay, an interactive, craft-based space room for kids up to five years old.

Most programs end at lunch, which is the ideal time to make your way to level four to have a meal inspired by one of the museum’s exhibitions. On a sunny day, the verandah is a lovely spacious area to sit. Kids can caper around and make a bit of noise. “It’s beautiful. It’s one of the best views in Sydney,” says Higginson.

House of Tong, North Ryde
Located on the top floor of the North Ryde RSL, House of Tong might seem like an odd choice of place to bring kids. But a visit to Sunday yum cha reveals it’s a family affair, with multiple generations gathered around large tables spinning lazy Susans to select plates of crispy-skinned duck or XO-sauce-laden scallops.

The Cantonese dishes are much like what you might find in a similar Chinatown spot, and the ingredients are uncompromisingly fresh and the food delicious.

There’s also plenty to see if kids get restless. Fish tanks hold Tasmanian lobster, abalone and jade perch. Near the RSL entry is an aviary housing a lovely collection of birds, and the middle floor has a play centre and arcade.

Bread & Circus, Alexandria
Whether you’re a child or an adult, there are two main reasons to go to Bread and Circus: Earl Grey hot chocolate and congee.
The first is made from Earl Grey tea-infused milk mixed with melted pieces of dark Callebaut chocolate. It’s rich, warming and good for dipping in cardamom-and-cinnamon-spiced banana bread.

The brown-rice porridge is equally as warming. It’s slow-cooked for six hours with hunks of chicken, chilli flakes and ginger. “People come just for the congee,” a server tells Broadsheet. “I’ve had customers leave because we’ve run out.”

Lesson: come early to avoid disappointment, and request a side bowl to share the dish with your offspring.

Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium, Darling Harbour
The sheer variety of Harajuku Gyoza’s menu makes this an ideal place to bring kids. The fillings include tender pork, lemongrass chicken and vegetable, and for adventurous kids, takoyaki.
For kids who are suspicious of anything new, there’s also gyoza with mozzarella cheese or a hamburger-style filling topped with tomato sauce, mustard and green relish. “You don’t really see gyoza like this in Japan, but people here love it,” says owner Andrew Jeffries.

The floor space has lots of room for prams, and for older kids the booths up the stadium-style stairs are ideal for spreading out with quiet-making activities.

To be truly family friendly, a venue needs something for the parents. In this case, it’s the beer. There’s a row of shiny 1200-litre tanks behind the bar that hold a sorachi ace hops pale ale, a dry rice lager and dry apple cider. “We have bottles and cans of imported brews, plus our core range of six beers and cider.”

With older kids? Time your meal late on a weekend to catch Darling Harbour’s Saturday night fireworks display.

This article first appeared on Broadsheet on May 9, 2019. Menu items may have changed since publication.