gluten free Archives - Adventure, baby!

Brass Monkey: Kid-friendly Restaurants, Meatpacking District, New York

January 21, 2015 / Manhattan Munchies, Meatpacking / 0 comment

On a dreary but not-too-cold day, we made our way to Brass Monkey in the Meatpacking District to celebrate a dear friend’s birthday. We walked past packed brunch spots like Pastis, and I was concerned that we were going to have to fight for a table.

I don’t know if it was the sad weather that put people off, but Brass Monkey was practically empty when we arrived. We were able to grab a table on the rooftop deck big enough to fit the 14 members of the party, and spread out with all the space we had.

As the afternoon wore on, the tables slowly filled up, but it was never packed to the point of the famous neighbours downstairs. In fact, when it started to rain, we were able to find empty tables enough to fit our remaining part of eight on both the floors below.

Speaking of floors – there are three. The main floor entrance, with a bar, tables and chairs, the middle floor with a second bar, booths and small tables and chairs, and the rooftop. There’s no lift, so if you’re planning to take kids to the middle level or rooftop, pack light and bring a folding stroller. One thing’s for sure, you’ll burn off at least half of the food you’re about to consume.

Brass Monkey serves upmarket bar food. It has a brunch menu with a twist, including items like the Egg Scramble Wrap (scrambled eggs with spinach, tomato and cheddar, served with homefries) and Maine Lobster Roll, served with old bay chips. You can also try the Full Irish Breakfast (two eggs, any style, sausage, bacon, black pudding, white pudding, beans and toast).

On a sunny day the rooftop deck get crowded fast. It has a less pub-like ambiance, with little pot plants embedded in the walls, and a creates an interesting juxtapositioning of old and new, being right next to the Standard Hotel and High Line.

Our food arrived pretty quickly for a party of 14. Everything was well cooked to order, including the meal which was altered to suit a gluten-intolerant diner. My Egg Scramble Wrap was delicious. A big wedge of egg, wrapped in spinach, tomato and cheese. What combination could be better?

We couldn’t find any high chairs, so we balanced Cheese on our laps, then chased her around the deck when she got bored. The sweet potato fries we ordered entertained her for a while, then I resorted to letting her pick the ice out of my empty glass.

The staff were efficient, but not overly friendly. They gave us what we needed, and kept out of our hair. No special concessions were made for kids, but it was a very welcoming environment, and we didn’t feel awkard about having our rowdy toddler with us. Several more toddlers arrived as we were leaving, so we clearly weren’t the only people seeking a quieter option for lunch or brunch on a Saturday.

Last bite: For bar food with a twist – and a great view, grab a table on the rooftop deck, order a drink, and relax in the sun.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes – as long as it’s not super busy, there’s plenty of room for strollers.
Easy access: Yes, to main floor.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Brass Monkey
55 Little West 12th St
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 675-6686
Hours: Daily, 12pm-4am
Prices: $
Cuisine: Bar food

Black Star Pastry and Cafe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Newtown

November 11, 2014 / Inner West, Newtown, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When my Instagram feed became full of images of amazing looking cakes from Black Star Pastry, I put the cafe on my must-do-soon list. And voila, a week or so later, I had the opportunity to drop by the Newtown Black Star to try their famous food for myself.

A little back story: Black Star Pastry was opened in October 2008 by chef Christopher Thé. His focus on baking the perfect (edible) moment and giving people the ability to share it with others has given him a cult following among dessert lovers in Sydney.

The Newtown cafe is tiny and better suited to takeaway. If you visit during the week you are likely to score a cosy window seat. Weekends, however, the queue is out the door.

While the cafe sells a variety of pastries and cakes, the star dish is the Strawberry and Watermelon cake. You can buy it buy the slice for $7, or an entire slab of it to take to a party. The cake is light and fluffy, with a crunch of fresh sweetness given by the slice of watermelon in the middle of the cake.

We also ordered the croissants, which are giant and a bit on the pricey side, but are extremely delicious – light, fresh, flaky goodness.

If you’re visiting with kids, I’d advise dropping by for takeaway and then walking a block back down the street to the playground in the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Black Star Pastry and Cafe
277 Australia St,
Newtown, NSW
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $
Hours: Daily 7am-5pm
Get Directions

Vegan & Gluten-Free Fare: Sun In Bloom, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

August 4, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Park Slope / 0 comment

One of the best things about New York City is the amazing variety of food you can enjoy to meet any type of dietary requirements you might have. A good friend of mine has a gluten and dairy intolerance, so we regularly eat at cafes and restaurants where her dietary needs are met — and where she has more choice than a salad or eggs.

Sun In Bloom is a gluten-free, vegan & raw food kitchen, with locations in both Brooklyn and Tribeca. We visited their Park Slope cafe for brunch to see if their pancakes measure up when they’re made without delicious gluten. All three adults in our party ordered the Gluten-Free Pancakes with Spiced Germinated Walnuts & Side of Maple Syrup ($11.50), but we each chose different combinations of fruit toppings to go with it.

The pancakes were surprisingly still yummy even without gluten, and the fruit on top was fresh and sweet. We gave Missy E a side of Sprouted Wheat Toast and Sunflower Seed Butter to try, but it was too crunchy for her and so she preferred the pancakes and fruit. At prime brunch hour there was no wait for a table, but when we were leaving the cafe it was quickly filling to capacity. The wait on some of our items was a little longer that I would have liked, particularly since Missy E was being a whiny pain that day and we were desperate to eat and leave! We all enjoyed our brunch and will be back, particularly when entertaining people with special dietary requirements.

Last Bite: A healthy brunch option that caters to the special dietary requirements of vegan, raw-food-followers and gluten-intolerant diners.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Sun In Bloom
460 Bergen St,
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Prices: $
Phone: (718) 622 4303
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-9pm Sat & Sun 10am-5pm
Get Directions

Egg Of The Universe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Rozelle, Sydney

July 22, 2014 / Inner West, Rozelle, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

If you love wholesome, minimally processed, nutrient-rich meals then Egg Of The Universe is the cafe for you. Situated underneath BodyMindLife yoga studios, yogis are known to leave class then step out into the sun drenched courtyard to fill their bodies with clean, organic food. Egg Of The Universe caters to everyone from vegans to omnivores, and those with gluten-free or dairy-free needs.

At the register, you can grab quick snacks like the Chocolate and Beetroot Cake and Raw Caramel Slice ($5 each). Take a seat in the back courtyard under the Chinese elm tree for the full table service menu.

Lucky us, we found the large back table free for our party of four adults, two toddlers and one baby. Plenty of room for the strollers to park right up at the table, as well as lots of space for our wriggly toddler to run around the tree while we waited for our meals to arrive.

To start with, I ordered the Dandelion Tea ($4), which was delicious. Our table ordered a wide variety of meals: a side of Ancient Grains ($6), Super B.L.A.T (Feather & Bone Smoked Bacon, Leaves, Avocado, Tomato, Aioli, Herbs & Hemp Seeds, $18. Add a Fried Organic Egg $3), Bread/Toast & Butter, $6, Spiced Kicharis (Seasonally Spiced Indian Rice & Lentils with Salad, Tamarind Chutney & Minted Yoghurt, $14), and the Avocado, Tomato (Spelt Sourdough, Hemp, Oregano, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, &16. Add a Poached Organic Egg $3).

The food is fresh, bursting with flavour, and feels good on the stomach several hours later. No heavy after-effects after eating such wholesome food. Perfectly poached eggs, creamy avocado, fragrant tomatoes and crusty fresh bread. Absolutely delicious. The kids munched on toast and banana bread (that I was too slow to photograph) and happily danced around the courtyard while the adults enjoyed the peaceful ambiance.

Last bite: Wholefoods for the whole family at this laid-back, healthy cafe.
Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes — lots of room for strollers.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: There is a table in the bathroom that can be used a a change table.
Kids’ menu: No.

Egg Of The Universe
711 Darling St, Rozelle
Phone: 02 9810 3146
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

Keste Pizza: Kid-Friendly Pizza & Vino, West Village, New York

January 14, 2014 / Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, West Village / 0 comment

In my early days in New York, I was introduced to Kesté Pizza & Vino on Bleeker Street, by my Aussie expat friends. It was a welcome respite from the chaos in my life at that stage — pregnant, moving to New York City and starting my life from scratch. Inside Kesté, life was simpler. It was relaxed and casual, with welcoming staff, a cozy vibe, uh-mazing pizza, and understanding friends.

Missy E ate a lot of Kesté pizza when she was in utero, but none since popping out of it until my last birthday, when we decided to drop in for a casual lunch. As always, the staff was inviting and sat us straight away on an early Saturday afternoon, in a tiny little corner booth, backed up against the open kitchen.

It was pretty squishy at the table, but our location turned out to be a blessing when I realised that the glass behind me peeked straight into the kitchen and that Miss E could be briefly entertained by watching the pizzas being made from scratch, and then being baked in the oven. She also thought it would be fun to play with the wine bottles.

Even though it was my birthday (or maybe especially because it was my birthday?), Miss E was being a total demon child. Up, down, no, no, noooooooooo. The iPhone and then pizza occupied her briefly, but sadly this was one of the fastest and least relaxing visits I’ve had at Kesté. Ever.

Our visit might have been improved if the staff had been a bit friendlier towards us — especially towards Miss E. Yes, I know she can be INCREDIBLY annoying (such as on this particular day), but it would have made our lunch just that much more enjoyable and less stressful if we’d felt that they liked kids a bit more (or at least pretended to). While the staff were very efficient, we felt like they were really rushed on this particular day and our food was thrown at us, with no effort to make us comfortable, such as offers to get us things like a plastic cup for the child (I think we actually asked for this and it was ignored), or just basic welcoming conversation. It could just have been because we arrived during a busy time and the staff were super busy, so I would absolutely return with Miss E to give it another shot — if only because their pizza is SO FRICKING GOOD.

At Kesté, they make each pizza to order, from the crust up, so the pizzas super fresh in every possible way. They even make gluten-free pizzas for those who request them.

The tomato sauce on my Margherita ($13) is the perfect sweet tomato blend, with giant gloops of fresh mozzarella and little basil leaves. We ordered a pizza per adult — between the two of us, Missy E and I polished ours off. Alec was so hungry he ate his entire pizza.

We hope to return to Kesté on another day when our daughter is not trying to destroy our souls.

Last Bite: One of the best pies you’ll get in the city, at one of the most reasonable prices. The perfect place to introduce kids to what a quality pizza actually tastes like.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Minimal. Fold up strollers only.
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Kesté Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker St (between Jones St & Morton St)
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 243-1500
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Thur 12pm-3:30pm, 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-11:30pm, Sun 12pm-10:30pm

Nom Wah Tea Parlor: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Chinatown, New York

July 16, 2013 / Chinatown, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 4 Comments

Nom-wah dumplings — Be prepared for dumplings!

It’s a rare day that I’m out without my kid. Usually she’s my trusty (although not at all trust-worthy) sidekick, for better or for worse. On this particular day, however, I found myself heading out to try Nom Wah Tea Parlor with some friends, with the promise that I would be able to eat my dim sum heart out with Nom Wah’s extensive list of vegetarian options.

Nom Wah is a famous dim sum eatery in Chinatown, that has been operating in some shape or form on Doyers Street since 1920 (it originally opened as a bakery and tea parlor). People queue outside for a long time (how long, I don’t exactly know, as we got there when it opened to avoid that exact problem!) for a chance to squeeze into this retro tea parlor/dim sum emporium and eat, eat, eat the cheap and delicious dim sum.

Which leads me to why I was childless on this day. Toddlers (particularly mine) have a set napping schedule that cannot be messed with, or bad things happen. Plagues of locusts and such. Since Cheese is a morning napper, it means we can’t ever have brunch somewhere at opening hour (10:30 am). With Nom Wah, getting there at opening hour is the best choice unless you want to join the giant queue, so that’s how I turned up to review a restaurant for kid-friendliness, minus the actual kid.

Also in our party was a friend who is gluten-intolerant. Nom Wah is great for people with all kinds of dietary requirements because so much of the menu is made with rice instead of wheat flour, so my friend was in absolute food heaven with so many gluten-free food choices. Plus, the menu even indicates those items that are gluten-free.

While I ate at Nom Wah minus my toddler, the restaurant was packed with small kids, ranging from small babies and up. Children are very welcome no matter their age, so long as they’re happy to be squished into a small booth or sitting on an adult’s lap at the table. No room for strollers, so bring a carrier if possible. The service is fast if you can get their attention, and the food arrives swiftly, piping hot and flavourful. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids about dumplings in an environment where kids are welcome.

Last bite: Arrive when Nom Wah opens to be seated straight away, or be prepared to join a long queue. An authentic, affordable, and casual place to order lots of fun dishes so kids can experiment with all the flavours and textures. Chopsticks optional!

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Chinatown
13 Doyers St.
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (212) 962 6047
Prices $
Hours: Sun-Thur 10:30am-9pm; Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm

Willow Road: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Chelsea, New York

July 1, 2013 / Chelsea, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 0 comment

One of our favourite areas of the city is in Chelsea right under the High Line, with Chelsea Markets, the Hudson River Park and Chelsea Piers all a short stroll away. A new eatery to this prime strip of real estate is Willow Road, a New American restaurant and bar offering twists on classic dishes and an extensive cocktail menu (try the Hair of the Dog pick, the Willow Fresca—sparkling wine, fords gin, fresh lemon, peach tincture—$14, for a refreshing zing to wake you right up).

Thanks to the not so reliable service on the subway, we arrived late and somewhat dishevelled. The hostess couldn’t have been friendlier or more charming, letting us sit at the table while we waited for everyone else to arrive. No highchairs, so we sat in a corner booth-type area, and squished the Cheese between us to stop her from escaping. The vibe was a bit party-like, which was surprising for a brunch crowd. A hen’s party wearing candy pink cowboy hats took up one large table (and were amazingly mellow), while upbeat tunes played over the speakers.

Willow Road, kid-friendly restaurants, Chelsea, New York, via brunchwithmybaby.com — Bread basket, $10

We ordered the bread basket to keep Cheese entertained while we waited for everyone to arrive and order—it came literally in a casserole dish, possibly the most bread I’ve even see dished up on a plate. It was fresh and warm, but with no butter, spreads or oil. Upon request we were given a dish of whipped butter, which complemented the bread to perfection.

It seems like Cheese has reached a certain difficult age where dining out is similar to our first few months with her as newborn. As in, one of us would eat while the other walked around rocking the baby. Now, instead of being rocked, our chaos-loving toddler, who refuses to sit still for a minute, needs to be escorted around by one parent, while the other gets a few minutes to shovel in her food. We’d been warned to expect this at her age (22 months), so it’s not a big surprise. It does, however, mean our restaurant choices for the next few months will be a lot less of the sit-down variety, and more of the grab-and-go kind.

We had a few friends with us, so we ordered a good variety of brunch food, including the Crispy Black Kale (with pecorino, chile and garlic), Cast Iron Baked Eggs (with chorizo, charred scallion, parmesan cream, $16), Slow-Cooked Eggs (with steel cut oats, smoked bacon and maple hollandaise, $15), Egg White Omelette (with spring vegetables and charred tomato sauce, $14), Charred Bean Salad (with mustard seed, pepita and smoked paprika, $14) and the star dish of the day, the Brioche French Toast (with banana-apple caramel and whipped sour cream, $15).

The Charred Bean Salad was the dish of choice for our gluten-and dairy-intolerant friend. It was also perfect for both of the vegetarians at the table. A great mix of flavours and textures with perfectly grilled beans and seeds, and a zing of paprika.

My Brioche French Toast was lusted after by everyone except the toddler who just wanted to eat pieces of ice from the water chiller. It was everything French toast should be—light, fluffy, sweet, and covered in a delicious apricot and caramel fruit compote, with a dash of whipped sour cream. It. was. amazing. I may have shared it around to stop all the hungry faces from staring at me.

While Willow Road had none of the usual baby-friendly paraphernalia, what they did have was extremely friendly and accommodating staff. Miss Cheese was at her wriggliest (walk! walk! down! down!) and spent the entire time running around the restaurant (yes, we were THOSE people) and up and down the ramp and stairs out the front. The hostess and other staff we ran (literally) into during these strolls could not have been more understanding and kind, making it super kid-friendly even without highchairs and change tables.

Last bite: A great option for brunch with friends or a date night in Chelsea. Bring the kids for a fun meal, with super friendly and accommodating staff. Order the Brioche French Toast and a Hair of the Dog, and enjoy a relaxed outing.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Minimal – bring a fold-up stroller or carrier.
Easy access: No. There are a few steps to get in after the ramp at the entrance.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Willow Road
85 10th Ave (between 15th St. & 16th St.)
New York, 10011
Phone: (646) 484 6566
Prices: $$$
Hours: Brunch: Sat-Sun 11am-3pm Lunch: Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm Dinner: Mon-Sun 5:30pm-3am
Reservations

Food Trucks at the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights, New York

June 13, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, New York Food, Prospect Heights / 0 comment

Cool Haus food truck - kid-friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Cool Haus food truck

Here’s some happy news for foodies who usually hunt down food trucks on Twitter: Brooklynites can now catch some of their faves on select weekends—July 6 and Sept. 7—at the plaza outside of the Barclays Center.

Frites 'N' Meats food truck - kid friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Frites ‘N’ Meats food truck

We wandered on by to check out the food trucks on their opening day, and were so pleasantly surprised to see a great variety of trucks (with no queues) and plenty of seating in the shade. Score! The food trucks out on that day were: Kimchi Taco Truck, (think Korean-cross-Mexican), Treats Truck (the actual truck that serves the Carroll Gardens store of the same name), Coolhaus (build-your-own ice cream sandwiches), Mamu Thai Noodle (a family-owned and operated truck specialising in Thai food), Frites ‘n’ Meats (design your own burgers) and Taim Mobile (gourmet falafels and smoothies).

Barclays Center - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Shade

We were planning to pick up food from a truck and walk with it to Prospect Park. But when we felt an unexpected cool breeze coming through the plaza (on an otherwise stifling hot day), we decided to sit and eat in the nearby plaza instead.

Taim Mobile - kid-friendly food, Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Taim Mobile

I’d been wanting to try Taim in the West Village for ages, so was delighted to see their truck Taim Mobile in attendance. Taim is great for more than just vegetarians like myself—their falafels are gluten-free and cooked to order in 0% trans-fat vegetable oil. All of the items on their menu are vegetarian—most are actually vegan (items with a * on the menu contain either dairy or egg products).

We decided to share a few things—the Mediterranean Platter, $9 (hummus, tahini, israeli salad, green cabbage, quinoa salad and pita), Falafel Side, $4 (six balls) the Date Lime Banana smoothie with soy milk, $5, and Falafel Sandwich, $6.50 (green falafel, hummus, israeli salad, green cabbage and tahini sauce).

In retrospect we didn’t need the sandwich—we had SO MUCH FOOD. We tried our best to eat some of everything, but admitted defeat with groaning stomaches. Note to fellow diners—the platter plus falafels are PLENTY for two people to share, plus a toddler. Miss Cheese tried a bit of everything, and decided she liked the smoothie, pita and falafels best—perfect kid food, by the way.

Barclays Center food trucks - kid-friendly food, Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Loving the soy banana shake.

We let Cheese sit on our laps or on a proper chair since she was too wiggly to stay in the stroller. If your kid sits still you can park them right at the table. We each also took turns chasing her around the plaza while the other parent finished his or her food. There was a lot of shade and plenty of fun things for toddlers to explore (doors and fences and tables, oh my!), so she was actually really reluctant to leave.

Treats Truck - kid friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Treats Truck food truck for desserts.

Last bite: A great variety of food surrounding a shady plaza with tables and chairs. Put the dates on your calendar and make it part of a day trip to Prospect Park.

Barclays Center
620 Atlantic Ave. (between Dean St and Flatbush Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Food Truck Dates: June 1, July 6 and Sept. 7
Hours: Saturdays, 11am-5pm

Bareburger, Cobble Hill: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Brooklyn, New York

June 4, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Cobble Hill / 1 Comment

As a vegetarian and fussy eater in general, I really struggle to find good burgers. My husband has been a fan of Bareburger for a while, but I’ve never had the opportunity to go until the new branch opened recently in Cobble Hill. There are about a gazillion burger joints in New York—so what makes Bareburger special? They partner with local artisans and organic farmers to give diners the tastiest, locally-grown and humanely-sourced food possible. The result is healthy and delicious food that will fill you up and make you feel good in the inside—happy tummy, happy soul.

The new Bareburger in Cobble Hill is a little tight inside—be prepared to wiggle between tables. We rocked up at prime lunch time and were sat immediately. They have minimal space for strollers, so our jumbo one had to wait patiently for us on the sidewalk. They had room for folding stroller, however, so bring your umbrella stroller or carrier where possible.

Our friendly server couldn’t do enough to make Cheese happy. Crayons, colouring paper and a cute little cup filled with iced water. “Would she like anything else? Juice?” The thoughtfulness was great and made us feel super welcome.

My favourite burger is very simple – patty, tomato, cheese and ketchup. Since I always get the veggie patty, it’s difficult for me to just get the simple burgers I love so much. Anywhere I can build my own burger is guaranteed to become a firm favourite of mine, very fast.

Alec and I split a banana shake—it was huge, and half each was the perfect amount. We also loved that it arrived with two glasses and straws, so we could each have our own half-sized shake, meaning less fighting over who drank the most shake.

We also ordered a big side of fries. It came with a bunch of dipping sauces—Cheese tried them all and declared the curry ketchup her favorite.

My vege burger was fantastic. A hint of spice, tasty cheese, and a whole grain bun. Delicious and filling, and possibly even, dare I say it, healthy?

My friend who came with us has a gluten and dairy allergy. If you have any similar special dietary requirements, Bareburger is the place for you. My friend had what she described as an amazing burger, with vegan cheese and a tapioca rice bun.

Last bite: Bring your kids and a big appetite for a great burger, shake, fries or salad. Leave your big stroller at home, and enjoy the Bare experience!

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes – but minimal. Bring a folding stroller if possible.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Bareburger Cobble Hill
145 Court St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (347) 529 6673
Hours: Sun-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm

Get directions.

Sugar and Plumm: Kid-friendly Restaurants, UWS, New York

May 13, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, Upper West Side / 1 Comment

Entering Sugar and Plumm is like stepping into a a modern day Willy Wonka Land. Bright, cheerful and colourful, with delicious-looking sweets. Even as an adult, the candy land that is Sugar And Plumm has a strong allure for me, evoking memories of childhood candy stores, long summer days and running wild with friends.

Sugar and Plumm, kid-friendly New York — Bright, roomy interior.

Sugar And Plumm is divided into two sections – the restaurant and store. On weekends expect to wait for a table, so get there early or leave your name and hope you get seated before the kids lose the plot (or talk you into buying a pile of candy from the store).

The good news is that they serve treats like ice-cream, macarons and cake in the store section, so if they’re crazy busy on the day you visit, you can always grab something sweet to eat in the park, and come back another day to sit down in the restaurant.

Once seated, everything runs smoothly. Cheese is brought a sippy cup with water, crayons, and a kids’ menu she could colour in.

One tip – if your kid is eating with cutlery and not yet ready for an adult fork, bring a toddler fork with you. Cheese stole my fork and tried to stab herself in the throat with it, trying to feed herself scrambled eggs.

We ordered a range of dishes, including burgers, the crunch toast, wholegrain salad (vegan and gluten-free) and a vanilla Plain Jane shake. Everything came out quickly and was well-cooked, as you’d expect from a quality restaurant. Cheese was given the eggs-in-a-basket, scrambled eggs in brioche toast, which came with another sippy cup (filled with milk this time). She loved the eggs but found the brioche toast too hard and crispy to eat.

Last bite: A crowd-pleaser for kids of all ages, get in early to secure a table, and enjoy a family-friendly meal that will leave everyone with a sweet taste in their mouth.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes – on a weekday, plenty of room for giant strollers. On weekends, stick to one that folds.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Sugar and Plumm
377 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY
Phone: (212) 787 8778
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, Sat-Sun 8:15am-11pm