In my years of taking kids to restaurants, I found that it was hard to predict which ones would be welcoming. One former beloved local institution, when we visited, claimed that their high chair was “broken.” It turned out that their high chair was always “broken”! One rather fancy Italian restaurant doted on our older child when he was a messy toddler and always had a clean chair for him.

You can’t necessarily judge by the kids’ menu.

“I’ve always found that even if there isn’t a kids’ menu, or if there is a lame one, just order sides!” points out Tamara Dow. “Side of steamed veggies, side mashed potatoes or pasta, side of avocado, side grilled chicken or whatever— and you’re set. My daughter is usually content with that!”

When our kids were younger, we sought out places that had outdoor seating and casual atmospheres. In Asian restaurants, we loved restaurants that had quick service and were forgiving of rice being thrown on the floor, such as Panda Inn in Aptos or Real Thai on Seabright. Back then, Capitola had a train-themed deli, which was a big hit. Any place with a nice fish tank was a bonus, too.

But that was years ago. Given that our teens can now be trusted not to throw rice on the floor, I turned to our parent community to find out where they are going in Santa Cruz County right now. Following is an assortment of restaurants that are kid-tested for you!