Restaurant search - any recommendations for fancy AND kid-friendly? Realistic or no?

Submitted by blissadmin t3_ygo8rw in baltimore

My parents' 50th wedding anniversary is in a couple months and I want to take them and our extended family (total 6 adults, 3 children <10 yrs) somewhere very special but that can also accommodate the tastes of the children which are squarely in "kids menu" territory. I'm trying to avoid my backup plan where the kids eat mac and cheese and hotdogs in the car on the way over and then have to sit idly crayon-ing (or worse, with tablets, ugh) while the adults eat their food.

Charleston, Sotto Sopra, et al don't bust my budget, but I don't see anything on those menus that looks super kid-friendly.

Woodberry Kitchen (I've heard) has previously maintained a decent kids menu and their site says they're reopening in the fall but I can't get menu details or book a reservation just yet.

Is there somewhere in the city or metro area that checks both of these (special/fancy + kids/kid-friendly menu) boxes? I'm something of a Baltimore ex-pat and am quite out of the loop here.

Bonus points if there is a vegetarian option other than salad. Thank you for any and all recommendations!

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wer410 t1_iu9j8rr wrote

That's a hard find. Fancy and kid-friendly don't go together. If someone is paying $70 for a steak the last thing they want with dinner is a bored 6yo at the next table acting up. 😉

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blissadmin OP t1_iu9vfte wrote

I appreciate the confirmation that I am not asking a low-effort question.

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newblue1013 t1_iu9jqc3 wrote

Mcfauls in Parkville on Cromwell Bridge road it checks all these boxes

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Ok_Spray_2317 t1_iua2pug wrote

cinghiale? Any Italian place will definitely be able to do plain pasta even if it is not on the menu. My kids love Petit Louis. I think Sotto Sopra would work too.

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jessiewicz t1_iu9q3q4 wrote

Cosima maybe? I’d imagine any Italian place could do a scaled down basic spaghetti/noodle in red sauce that would be more kid friendly. It would also make ordering them a pizza a little more acceptable .

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BaltimoreBourboner t1_iucvr9b wrote

Birroteca strikes a nice balance between fancy and also pizza for kids. Cypriana is Mediterranean and I see families there all the time. Gertrude’s also could be great.

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brocialism t1_iu9nt41 wrote

May not be what you're looking for, but maybe Brewer's Art?

The upstairs dining area is white tablecloths, and they also have things like burgers, fries, and mac n cheese.

The other thing that comes to mind is Little Italy.

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blissadmin OP t1_iu9pyxm wrote

Is there a particular spot in Little Italy that stands out? Thank you.

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jabbadarth t1_iu9ymdc wrote

Chiaparellis.

Very old school traditional Italian spot. White table cloths, old waiters, very good fellas stuck in a moment in time kind of place.

Fancy but plenty of families there all the time and what kids don't like spaghetti and meatballs? (Other than mine every other day randomly)

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blissadmin OP t1_iu9z9id wrote

Thank you, I will put this on the short list too.

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The_Waxies_Dargle t1_iubi0w8 wrote

Food Market in Hampden has never let me down. It's kinda chaotic in a way that kids won't stand out. Really solid vegetarian options too.

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emmyr22 t1_iubli7n wrote

Johnny’s in Roland Park has maybe the best changing room situation in town and awesome food

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flowbeeBryant t1_iubo3so wrote

Linwood’s in pikesville or tark’s

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e3c1f4 t1_iual35p wrote

Gordon Ramsay steak? They have a kids menu

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