Child-friendly cafés and restaurants

Moak Pancakes

All you have to say is ‘pancake,’ and the little ones are already outside with their coats on. Then, it’s off to Moak in Amsterdam's Oud-West neighbourhood, where the pancakes (prepared the American way) are finger-licking good. Savoury and sweet options are on the menu, or you can even customise your own pancake for the kids. Check out our round-up of the best pancake houses in Amsterdam for more.

Moak Pancakes | De Clercqstraat 34, Oud-West

Pof

Pof is the perfect Noord family hangout. The kids can run free on the open-air playground while the adults eat and enjoy local beer and wine. Pof is all about artisan cooking techniques steeped in tradition and using locally sourced ingredients. Everything is fresh, and the ingredients don’t have to travel far: they all come from the Netherlands. Don’t worry about the menu being too complicated for the little ones: there are apple syrup sandwiches, sweet soups and two types of poffertjes for picky eaters.

Pof | Meteorenweg 280, Noord

IJ-Kantine

This gorgeous restaurant on the Northside of the River IJ will quickly become one of your family favourites. IJ-Kantine is the perfect example of a grown-up place that also happens to be fantastic for kids. Aside from the bright colours and vast windows overlooking the water, they have a play corner with touch-screen TVs, stacks of games and toys for all ages. When the weather is good, there’s also a sandpit on the terrace. Come armed with a book because chances are your little ones won't want to leave!

IJ-Kantine | NDSM-Kade 5, NDSM

Pllek

Every Sunday afternoon is a celebration at Pllek. The Ruige Rakkers, the creative children’s programme at this hotspot, offers free activities from 13:00 to 17:00. Kids aged four and older can perform in plays, do yoga, paint, or get creative with crafts. A glass of lemonade is included to quench their thirst, and bread rolls with schuddebuikjes (tiny spiced biscuits) and other tasty toppings will satisfy their appetites. Parents can relax with a drink and admire the beautiful view over the River IJ.

Pllek | TT Neveritaweg 59, NDSM

Café-Restaurant Amsterdam

Cafe-Restaurant Amsterdam ticks all the boxes. Located in a former pump station, this vast industrial space is full of fascinating turbines for kids to explore. As well as a kids’ colouring corner, they offer a children’s menu with crowd-pleasing favourites such as fresh fish nuggets, burgers and pasta; a gorgeous terrace for when the sun comes out; and great food for grown-ups, too. Perhaps most importantly, the fantastic acoustics mean that even the noisiest little ones won’t cause a disturbance.

Café-Restaurant Amsterdam | Watertorenplein 6, Westerpark

De Foodhallen

There’s no denying that De Hallen is one of the hippest places to hang out in the city. The whole complex is fantastic (be sure to check out whether there’s a kids’ film on at FilmHallen), and it’s the perfect lunch spot for meeting fussy foodie needs. Evenings are hectic, so it’s best to come around midday. The great thing is that due to the pick-and-mix variety of food on offer, kids often stretch their food boundaries and try something a little more adventurous.

De Foodhallen | Hannie Dankbaarpassage 16, Oud-West

Kanarie Club

If you make your way to the back of the Foodhallen, you’ll find the stylish Kanarie Club. It’s a place that actively encourages people to stay all day, plugging in laptops and having a bite to eat or a drink at the bar. Best of all, it’s the perfect place for little ones to join you. The star of the show is the ‘pool bar’: a small empty swimming pool seating area which kids go crazy for. Come for brunch on the weekend when it turns into an impromptu mini-hipster gathering.

Kanarie Club | Bellamyplein 51, Oud-West

De Pizzabakkers

Amsterdam’s four branches of De Pizzabakkers are hugely popular with families and deservedly so. From delicious pizzas baked in an authentic wood-fired oven to a ‘gelato bambino’ (ice cream served with raspberry or caramel sauce), the menu has got you covered. As a bonus, children get a ball of pizza dough to play with whilst waiting for their food (staff will even bake it for them if they’re not too busy).

Pizzabakkers | various locations

Haddock

Haddock is a restaurant in a cool shed on the River IJ that’s more than family-friendly. You will find a separate kids’ room with table football, toys and even occasional movies, but the fun peaks on weekends with supervised kids-only discos and craft activities. With a huge lawn, a terrace packed with stylish seating, sprinklers and a sandbox, and a menu of crowd-pleasing kids’ favourites, this is a children’s paradise and a cool place for grown-ups to kick back and enjoy.

Haddock | Marie Baronlaan 19, Oostelijke Eilanden

Lunchroom Lastig

Don’t let the name confuse you; even the youngest lastpakken (troublemakers) will be kept out of mischief for hours in this friendly neighbourhood lunchroom. For older kids (six and up), there’s a thrilling 40m2 game room, and for adults, there is a cosy sitting area, free Wi-Fi, and Indonesian hospitality. The menu features treats such as French toast with banana and cinnamon sugar, panini fresh from the grill, and many Indonesian specialities such as Nasi Kuning or spekkoek (an Indonesian layer cake). Kids of all ages can participate in one of the monthly workshops, which include learning how to draw cartoons, doing various crafts, or cooking.

Lunchroom Lastig | Christiaan Huygensplein 33, Oost