While many restaurants offer children's menus (some that even go beyond all things deep-fried), here are 13 that also have dedicated play areas to keep the little ones happy and busy.
Ribambelle
The latest child-dedicated restaurant to open in the emirate, at Bluewaters, Ribambelle also has outposts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia.
For children: Ribambelle has been done up in bright lashings of green and has slides, ball pits and designated play zones. Its art and cooking classes are suitable for children aged three an over. Options include coconut candles, bottled sand art, soap-making and T-shirt painting; plus culinary lessons for volcano cakes, gingerbread, cake pops and healthy energy balls.
On the menu: A expansive spread, everything from healthy breakfast dishes and salads to fast food and meat, seafood and poultry mains is on offer. A few to try include: skirt steak bruschetta; cottage cheese pancakes; sea bass ceviche; cauliflower popcorn; and miso-marinated black cod.
The dedicated children's menu offers chicken piccata, lamb meatballs and noodle soup.
Shvili and Osteria Mario
The interconnecting Georgian and Italian restaurants at Dubai Hills Mall are at once cosy and friendly, with delicious menus for children and adults.
For children: An indoor play area, with a life-size tepee, a wooden climbing deck, edutainment models, plus loads of books and soft toys, and a face-painting artist.
On the menu: Shvili serves hearty khinkhali dumplings and cheesy khachapuri flatbreads, plus a range of other Georgian staples. Osteria Mario does Italian signatures (pizza, risotto, et al), plus a delectable pear and Gorgonzola salad.
Monday to Thursday, 10am-midnight; Friday to Sunday, 10am-1am; Dubai Hills Mall; 052 929 2088
Kasibeyaz
Also located in Dubai Hills Mall, the Turkish restaurant has outposts in Istanbul, Doha and Tehran, and plans to open branches in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
For children: An indoor play area with plenty of toys and books, plus child-size tables and chairs.
On the menu: The restaurant serves Anatolian food, including a Turkish breakfast with kashkaval cheese, sucuk omelette and meneen scrambled eggs; mains such as sarma, lahmacun, kofte and saslik kebab; plus katmer and baklava for dessert.
Daily, 9am-1am; Dubai Hills Mall; 04 363 7007
Phileas Fogg
The decor at this family-friendly sports bar, which is a popular birthday venue, is inspired by the journey undertaken by the protagonist of Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in 80 Days.
For children: An air-conditioned tent with swings, slides and climbing apparatus, plus colouring books and crayons.
On the menu: The restaurant serves small bites such as chicken popcorn, baos and nachos, plus salads, wood-fired pizza, grills, burgers, and “dishes from the East”, including Thai curry, chow mein, yakisoba and kung pao.
Sunday to Thursday; 8am-1.30am; Friday and Saturday, 8am-2.30am; Emirates Hills; 04 572 4477
The Greenroom
Located in Els Club, the venue is part country club restaurant, part gamer's paradise.
For the children: The restaurant has an on-site arcade, with giant Tetris, racing, ski hockey and more (priced at Dh5 per token), plus a golf simulator screen for older children and adults alike.
On the menu: Expect British staples such as fish and chips, bangers and mash and truffle flatbread, plus a dedicated menu for pies, roasts and curries.
Sunday to Thursday, 9am-10pm; Friday and Saturday, 9am-midnight; Dubai Sports City; 04 423 8310
Cafe Confetti
The cosy indoor-outdoor cafe is most often frequented among families living in JLT, and is a popular birthday venue.
For children: The space is brimming with wooden and soft toys, cars and scooties galore, kitchenettes and a mini jungle gym with a slide. Socks are a must for children and adults.
On the menu: The cafe is best known for its herbal teas and healthy smoothies, and serves bites such as pancakes, waffles, salads, pizzas and pasta. The menu also has a German selection, with flammkuchen flatbread, chicken bratwurst sausages and leberkaese meatloaf.
Open daily; 8am-9pm; Cluster U, Jumeirah Lakes Towers; 04 554 6206
Huqqabaz
Unusually for a shisha cafe, Huqqabaz also has dedicated activities for little ones.
For the children: A monitored children's area is filled with toys, games, balloons and books, plus Lego blocks, chess and kitchen accessories. A face-painting artist is on hand, and the team also regular run art and culinary masterclasses for budding painters and chefs.
On the menu: A Turkish-inspired breakfast menu aside, the cafe serves salads, nachos, sliders and meaty mains.
Daily, 24 hours (children's play area open from 9am-9pm); Jumeirah 2; 800 47229
Lime Tree Cafe
For the children: The Sheikh Zayed Road outpost of the cafe and bakery has a dedicated indoor play area in one corner, with cheery wallpaper, books and toys including a mini kitchenette.
On the menu: Best known for its lush desserts (think meringue and lemon curd cheesecake), the cafe also serves a range of toasties, pizzas, burgers and healthy bowls.
Daily, 7.30pm-9pm; Umm Al Sheif, Sheikh Zayed Road; 04 325 6325
Luigia
Making good on the Italian tradition for leisurely family meals, Luigia is helmed by Sunset Hospitality Group, the team behind SushiSamba, Dream and Signor Sassi.
For children: The restaurant has an indoor cinema and a dedicated playroom with a soft play area stocked with plenty of books, toys and colouring materials. A foosball table and video game machine with classics such as Pac-Man will keep older kids occupied.
On the menu: Pizzas are a must-have at Luigia, and include options such as matrioska (with smoked salmon, steamed potatoes, mascarpone cheese and ricotta), tacos (with chicken nuggets, avocado, grana padano and datterini tomatoes) and langarola (with fresh baby spinach, beef carpaccio, burrata and honey citronnette). The restaurant also serves pasta and other traditional dishes inspired by the recipes of Italian nonnas.
Sunday to Friday, 5.30pm-midnight; Saturday and Sunday, 12.30pm-midnight; Rixos Premium, JBR; 04 349 6950
Baker’s Kitchen
The German restaurant is run by Sven the Baker and mum chef Heike Voigt, both of whom support the eat-clean movement.
For children: An indoor soft play area comes equipped with a wooden jungle gym, slides, swings, some toys and plenty of books.
On the menu: Freshly baked goods aside, the restaurant serves healthy breakfast bowls and salads, fluffy pancakes, vegan burritos, sausages, salmon, stews and steak.
Open daily, 7am-10.30pm; Dubai Marina; 050 840 9936
Masha and the Bear
Formerly known as Oompa Loompa, the restaurant is a popular choice for children’s birthday parties.
For children: A multilevel soft-play area with toys and soft play paraphernalia galore, plus meet-and-greet sessions with its namesake characters, and regular chocolate and pizza-making workshops.
On the menu: The restaurant serves a host of breakfast options, from eggs and pancakes to oatmeal porridge. Mains include pasta, pizza and burgers, plus salmon steak, mixed grill, dumplings and udon noodles.
Sunday to Thursday, 9am-11pm; Friday and Saturday, 9am-midnight; The Walk at JBR; 800 62742
Al Areesh Food Hall
The restaurant primarily serves American food and with a side of family-friendly board games.
For children: Board games such as Taboo, Carcassonne and Cavern of Soloth aside, the food hall has an outdoor seating area that oversees a park, which is equipped with a jungle gym, swings and slides.
On the menu: The restaurant serves salads, sandwiches, wings, pizzas, pasta and poutine.
Open daily, 8am-11.30pm; Dubai Festival City; 04 546 7400
Mondoux
The JBR, Dubai Fountain and Dubai Harbour Creek branches all have air-conditioned play areas.
For children: The restaurant has a dedicated corner for youngsters featuring soft and wooden toys, a kitchenette with mini chairs and tables, plus books, drawing material and edutainment activities. It also sporadically runs culinary classes for little ones.
On the menu: The French restaurant has an elaborate breakfast menu, with everything from acai bowls and avocado toast to muesli and chia pudding; plus mains such as quesadillas, burgers and hearty salads.
Sunday to Thursday, 8am-midnight; Friday and Saturday, 8am-1am; various locations; mondoux.ae
