The incredible dining options in Hoboken and Jersey City aren’t just for adults. When it comes to kid-friendly restaurants in Hoboken and Jersey City, there are a ton of options. With some of the best pizza and pasta around, feeding hungry kids is never a challenge. Whether you’re looking for a fun environment, family-friendly vibes, or food options that are picky-eater-approved, we’ve got you covered. Read on about where to go for kid-friendly eats in Hoboken + Jersey City.
Hoboken
Alessio’s | 539 Park Avenue, Hoboken + 99 Franklin Street, Jersey City
Photo Credit: Hannah Taub
Winner of several of HG’s Best of Hoboken 2023 awards, Alessio’s is a great place to have a meal with kids. This Italian cafe features kid-friendly menu items like pasta and meatballs, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, french fries, and pizza.
Elysian Cafe | 1001 Washington Street
Photo Credit: Elysian Cafe
Home of the best fries in Hoboken, Elysian Cafe is a favorite among many kids (and adults) in town. This restaurant is stroller-friendly, and its kids’ menu has delicious options like chicken fingers, grilled cheese, and spaghetti + meatballs. On Tuesday, kids under 12 years old eat for free from 5PM-8PM.
Read More: 5 Kid-Friendly Hikes Near Hoboken + Jersey City
Grimaldi’s | 411 Washington Street
View this post on Instagram
Pizza is probably the most kid-friendly food on Earth. At Grimaldi’s, kids can get their pizza fix while parents enjoy a range of salads, appetizers, pasta, beer, and wine. It’s a win for everyone. This restaurant also has gluten-free options and is stroller-friendly, a huge plus for those who have younger children.
Johnny Pepperoni | 219 11th Street
Johnny Pepperoni has a kid-friendly menu with meals like pasta with a choice of butter or marinara, meatballs, and chicken fingers with french fries. Also on the menu is pizza, the way to every child’s heart. The atmosphere is also super fun, with bright red chairs and a neon sign that reads, “You Wanna Pizza Me?”
Johnny Rockets | 134 Washington Street
Johnny Rockets is on our list of stroller-friendly restaurants, allowing families to roll right up to the table with their little ones. The menu is kid-friendly as well, with options like chicken tenders, hot dogs, mini burgers, and, of course, milkshakes.
Leo’s Grandevous | 200 Grand Street
View this post on Instagram
Leo’s is a family-friendly Italian restaurant that has been serving Hoboken for over 80 years. From adorable mini bar pies (including heart-shaped ones for Valentine’s Day) to mozzarella sticks and some of the best pasta in town, there are plenty of options to keep little tummies full. There are also high chairs available for younger children. The vibes at Leo’s are very friendly and welcoming.
Margherita’s | 740 Washington Street
View this post on Instagram
Another family-friendly restaurant in Hoboken is Margherita’s. This Italian restaurant makes homemade pasta, homemade mozzarella, and fresh pizza. Each dish is made to order and its menu has a wide selection of salads, appetizers, and entrees. Those with dietary restrictions can substitute any pasta dish for whole wheat or gluten-free pasta.
Napoli’s | 1118 Washington Street + 133 Clinton Street
View this post on Instagram
Napoli’s is an amazing spot to dine with kids. Its family-friendly atmosphere and Neapolitan-style pizza are a winning combination. Also on its menu are fresh pasta, paninis, and wraps. With two locations in Hoboken, Napoli’s is always a great idea.
Panello | 720 Monroe Street
Panello is a family-friendly restaurant located in the Monroe Center serving fresh and authentic Italian food. The kids’ menu features pasta with a choice of butter or tomato sauce. Other kid-friendly options include pizza and for dessert, Nutella pizza topped with powdered sugar.
Jersey City
Angry Archie’s | 565 Palisade Avenue
View this post on Instagram
Angry Archie’s specializes in jumbo lump crab cakes and Maine lobster rolls but also serves up delicious menu items for kids. Two popular kid-friendly items are the chicken fingers served with a side of fries and the crispy chicken mac and cheese. This popular eatery began as a Jersey City-based food truck and eventually opened its first storefront location in the Heights in March 2023.
Buddy’s JC | 247 Washington Street
This restaurant in downtown Jersey City is best known for its cereal pancakes. Buddy’s cereal pancakes combine the best of both worlds: cereal and pancakes into one super kid-friendly breakfast. Its most popular options are Fruity Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch stuffed pancakes, both drizzled with vanilla syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Pancakes can be made gluten-free upon request.
Central Bistro | 403 Central Avenue
View this post on Instagram
Central Bistro is best known for its brunch but also serves lunch and dinner. Its kids’ menu features chicken fingers, grilled cheese, pasta with butter or marinara, baby meatballs, and french fries.
City Diner | 31 Montgomery Street
City Diner’s from-scratch kitchen prepares some of the best pancakes in town. Other kid-approved menu options include french toast, waffles, eggs with a choice of meat, burgers, and fries.
The Franklin | 159 New York Avenue
The Franklin serves up brunch and dinner in the Heights. Its environment is a combination of upscale and laid-back, family-friendly, and also perfect for a weekend brunch with friends or a romantic dinner date night. Some kid-friendly items on the menu include french toast, ricotta pancakes, and donuts made fresh and served warm.
Gino’s Pizzeria | 380 Central Avenue
View this post on Instagram
Gino’s Pizzeria has been serving delicious Italian food in the Heights since 1976. This family-owned restaurant has a wide selection of menu items from pasta and pizza to burgers, sandwiches, and more. Most of the items on the menu are kid-friendly with favorites like chicken tenders, french fries, and mozzarella sticks.
Hudson + Co | 3 2nd Street
For a family-friendly restaurant with a scenic view, check out Hudson + Co. This nautical bar and grill has both indoor and outdoor seating with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline across the Hudson River. The kids’ menu has great options suitable for even the pickiest of eaters like plain pizza, grilled cheese, burger with fries, chicken fingers with fries, and pasta with butter.
Hudson Hall | 364 Marin Boulevard
Photo Credit: Hudson Hall
Smokehouse and Biergarten Hudson Hall is an excellent place to enjoy delicious food with family. From brunch to lunch to happy hour, there are options to keep everyone content. The kids’ menu includes grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, and mac and cheese. Also, the fresh donuts are served warm and are a treat the whole family will enjoy.
Nûrish | 346 Communipaw Avenue
Nûrish is a healthy eatery perfect for grabbing a nutritious snack for littles. Some kid-friendly items on the menu include fresh juices, smoothie bowls, smoothies, and shakes. This vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant and cafe originated in Brooklyn and eventually opened a second location in the heart of Bergen-Lafayette.
Renato’s Pizza Masters | 278 Central Avenue
Renato’s Pizza Masters is a family-friendly restaurant where kids can enjoy pizza as well as chicken fingers, french fries, mozzarella sticks, and garlic bread. On the pizza menu are signature pizzas like Chicken Bruschetta and Buffalo Chicken and also Make Your Own pizza which you can craft to your liking. The restaurant states its “vodka sauce and Grandma pie are all-time favorites.” Renato’s Pizza Masters also has a wide selection of menu items in addition to pizza such as soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, and more.
Rumba Cubana | 235 Pavonia Avenue
Located right near Hamilton Park, Rumba Cubana is a great place to enjoy a meal with children. Its kids’ menu has meals like grilled chicken or junior sirloin steak served with white rice and black beans, a Cuban-style burger or a ham and cheese sandwich served with french fries. Its most popular kids meal, however, is the chicken fingers and french fries served in a cardboard Chevrolet Bel Air.
See More: The Best Kids’ Menus at Local Essex County Restaurants
Rumi Turkish Grill | 67 Greene Street
View this post on Instagram
This Turkish restaurant prepares delicious food served family-style. Some kid-friendly options include chicken shish kebab, french fries, Turkish bread and hummus. Rumi Turkish Grill has a weekday lunch special which includes a starter, entree, and beverage for $15.95. For those with a sweet tooth, order the baklava made with layered filo dough filled with chopped nuts and drizzled with sweet syrup.
Würstbar | 516 Jersey Avenue
View this post on Instagram
For those who enjoy fine sausages, ciders, and poutine, Würstbar is a great choice. This rustic space has a wide selection of beer for the grown-ups and a kids’ menu to keep the kiddos happy. The kids’ menu features The Puppy Dog, a kids’ hot dog served with house-cut fries and ketchup.
Local Trainer Courtney Roselle Opening Personal Training Studio in Hoboken
The Hoboken fitness scene is welcoming a new addition this winter. Courtney Roselle — a Jersey City resident and Hoboken personal trainer who has dominated the local fitness scene in recent years — is opening her very own personal training studio, with plans to open as early as February 2025. The studio will be located at 1317 Willow Avenue on the 2nd floor and will be a community space for Courtney + other local independent trainers looking to host clients in the studio. Read on for more about the new personal training space, Iron Grace Studio, coming to Hoboken, New Jersey.
Photo Credit: Sabrina Steck
Studio Details
Courtney shared with The Hoboken Girl that Iron Grace Studio will be located at 1317 Willow Avenue in Hoboken, across from Trader Joe's. The personal training studio will be located on the second floor of the building above Brazen Athletics, where Courtney has worked for years.
Read More: Alts, a NYC-Based Alteration Company, Opening in Hoboken This Spring
The studio is for Courtney and her clients, but it will also be home to other independent trainers and their clients. Courtney's goal is to help other trainers grow and give them a shared space to flourish while doing the same for clients.
The studio will include more than just a personal training space. Iron Grace Studio will be complete with a mini kitchen for trainers to cook, a workplace area, and a bathroom with a shower. There studio will also have a mini-recovery room furnished with all the post-workout treatments: boots, cupping, a stim machine, massage guns.
"I want this to be bigger than just an independent training spot," Courtney said. "I want to be home for personal trainers."
Photo Credit: Courtney Roselle
Courtney wants to encourage the other trainers to also give back to the Hoboken + Jersey City community and will introduce different incentives for community service projects. "I want it to be full circle: health and wellness leaders helping other people," Courtney shared. "We should be helping out more than just our clients." For more updates surrounding Iron Grace Studio, follow its Instagram here.
About Courtney
Courtney Roselle is a friendly face here in the Hudson County community. Even if you’re not a frequent gym goer, you’ve probably seen Courtney on TV (winning Dwayne the Rock Johnson’s The Titan Games) or in a magazine (posing for Vogue) or on your Instagram feed (sharing killer workouts + fitness tips).
In the past seven years, Courtney has ventured to start her own private training business called Iron Grace, a name that perfectly captures the whole of who she is: a woman dominating a male-dominated space. This informed her latest venture, Iron Grace Studio. You can keep up with Courtney on Instagram.
See More: What’s Filming in Montclair + Essex County? An Ongoing List of Movies + TV Shows
Follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok to stay in the know with all of the local news, sign up for our weekly newsletter here, and check out our events calendar.
