If you’re a parent, you can understand why it’s easy to see many parents of young kids avoid restaurants and prefer to eat at home. Before kids, my husband and I loved eating out often. Today, with three kids (one being a baby), we get to eat out on weekends. Over the years, my kids have loved going to kid-friendly restaurants for their welcoming, chill, and fun atmosphere. Going out to eat can be a fun and enjoyable experience for the entire family, if you know the right places to go. We’ve put together a list of restaurants in Avon that provide an exceptional experience, even beyond the kids’ menu.
OPA!
7900 US Highway 36 W., Avon
OPA! I’m sure you’ve heard this term before at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Take me there Greece. OPA! in Avon is a great place to take the whole family for authentic Greek cuisine. OPA! has gyro sandwiches, shish kabobs and lamb dishes that are out of this world! This restaurant truly serves up some unique eats, if your wanting kids to explore some new foods. My kids love ordering the mini shish kabobs and keftedakia. The restaurant has an outstanding and delicious kids’ menu, featuring items like chicken shish kabobs, beef keftedakia, and mousakas. The kid’s menu also has typical kids’ foods, including burger & fries, chicken tenders, and spaghetti and rice. As for adults, there is quite a selection from which to choose. One of the coolest dishes to see is the flaming Saganaki, and the fire makes it a great show for the kids to see. OPA! is a great family dinner destination, sure to please your entire family.
Pizza King
8100 E. US Highway 36, Avon
As a mom of two boys, I’ve seen and heard about my fair share of all things trains. If my boys could live on a train cart, they probably would. Pizza King in Avon has been a local favorite of ours for quite some time, because of their unique train theme. This pizza restaurants not only serves up some great pizza selections, but also entertains the kids as your eating. The entire restaurant is decorated in all things train, and to add to the ambiance, a little train comes to your booth to deliver everyone’s drinks. The kids get a huge kick out of this. Even better, at your table you will find a TV and game consoles for kids to play with while you wait for dinner to arrive. Pizza King truly knows how to host its smallest of guests, and I highly recommend it to families with toddlers who love trains.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
9466 E. US Highway 36, Avon
Cheddar’s has been one of my family’s favorite restaurants to visit since it opened. Every year our family has mini family reunions with great-grandparents, uncles, aunts, and lots of cousins at the Avon location. Even with several people in our party, the service has always been excellent. I believe they are truly a family-friendly restaurant. They serve up a great kids’ menu featuring grilled chicken, grilled cheese sandwich, tenders, a junior burger, pasta, and coconut shrimp. They also serve great family bundles at an excellent price. For the adult menu, there’s an array of choices, from salads to soups, to steaks and seafood. You’ll find something for everyone’s craving. Their menu also features gluten free, diary free, and sensitive options for guests with allergies.
Emmy’s Pancake House & Grill
7508 Beechwood Centre Road, #300, Avon
As a family who loves breakfast foods, we have enjoyed eating at Emmy’s for their delectable pancakes. They also have a great kid’s menu, with a large selection. My kids like choosing the Mickey Mouse pancakes or French toast. Some more of the kid breakfast menu items include scrambled eggs and toast, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, omelette, and fruits.
BJ’s Brewhouse
10367 E. US Highway 36, Avon
BJ’s Brewhouse isn’t your typical brewhouse just for adults, this restaurant also caters to the smaller crowd with their free appetizers just for kids. As you are seated with kids, the server brings out garlic knots and fruit to keep kids occupied while looking over the menu. They kid menu also has a coloring page to keep kids busy. They have a good kids menu featuring “create your own pasta” for kids, chicken tenders, mini corn dogs, kids tacos, wings, mini burgers, mac n cheese, and much more. BJ’s currently has family dinner bundles at a great cost, and the family pizza feasts are also a great option to order.
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
7565 US Highway 36, Avon
Who doesn’t love a cup or cone of yummy froyo? Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt has been a great hit across central Indiana, and no doubt they serve up some great tasty choices. The location in Avon has an assortment of frozen yogurt flavors that change with the day and season. They also have smoothies, shakes, and cakes. Kids can choose either a small cup or waffle cone, then their choice of frozen yogurt, plus a large assortment of toppings, to make their yogurt one-of-a-kind.
Fazoli’s
7930 US Highway 36 W., Avon
Fazoli’s has been a great destination for families for years. Not only do they have great pasta dishes, but their endless breadsticks also keep families coming back for more. It’s a fast, casual restaurant, meaning it offers great food at fast food speeds, for those hungry kiddos. Fazoli’s has a kids’ menu with a choice of pizza or pasta, and of course those delicious breadsticks. We’ve enjoyed going to Fazoli’s over the years for it’s laid-back and casual atmosphere, perfect for a meal out with the kids.
Thai Lanna
9655 E US Highway 36, Suite I, Avon
Thai food is always exploding with flavor! Wondering if your kids will like Thai food? Check out Thai Lanna along Hwy 36, and it will not disappoint. While their kid’s menu is rather small, their regular menu features lots of flavorful choices that kids will love. My kids like the chicken summer rolls, crab Rangoon, and edamame for appetizers. The fried rice choices are always a great hit with kids. We order the pineapple fried rice, which is a big hit with kids because the rice is served inside a half-cut pineapple, making the eating experience feel tropical. We also love ordering masaman curry, and the pineapple roasted duck curry has also been a family favorite. It’s a great location to take your kids for their flavorful menu.
Danny’s Mexican Ice Cream
7730 E. US Highway 36, Avon
Danny’s Mexican Ice Cream is an eccentric place to try a variety of ice cream flavors. I first came across Danny’s two years ago, when a family friend recommended their sweet shop. Ever since we tried it, we have been hooked on the delicious flavors. Their ice cream is homemade, with over 50 rotating flavors. They also have sundaes, milkshakes, cookie sandwiches, and mangonada. What is a mangonada? It’s a delicious combination of mango sorbet, chopped fresh mangos and mango puree, topped with flavors of tajin. It’s a delicious, refreshing treat that comes from Mexico and is seen across the majority of Latin American. Danny’s Mexican Ice Cream is truly a unique ice cream shop, and the perfect spot to try out during those warm Summer months.
Big Apple Bagels
8115 US Highway 36, Avon
Big Apple Bagels is another great breakfast destination with kids. Whether it’s before school or on weekends, this eatery has become one of our favorites to frequent for a fresh delicious bagel. They don’t have a specific kid’s menu, but there are lots of kid-friendly choices. One of our favorites is the morning classic, which is an egg and cheese bagel, the veggie bagel, and traditional cream cheese. The Avon location also serves up some sweet muffins, in all sorts of flavors. This is no doubt a great place to take kids for a quick morning breakfast.
Yats
9259 E. US Highway 36, Avon
If you’ve ever been to Louisiana, you know their Cajun food is bursting with flavor and spice. Yats is the place to go, if you are craving some Cajun food! Yats doesn’t have a specific kid’s menu, but they have some delicious food choices your kids will love. They are known for their Etouffee, and we have enjoyed trying out the different Etouffee choices. The restaurant is a great place to take kids for its warm and friendly atmosphere.
MCL Restaurant & Bakery
121 Avon Village Parkway, Avon
MCL is one of those restaurants that feel like comfort food for your soul. They serve all-American favorites, as well as desserts, in a cafeteria-style. They have a great kid’s menu, with favorites such as fried chicken and mac-n-cheese. For dessert, enjoy the wide selection of pies, especially some of our favorites, coconut cream pie and cherry pie. Every Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday enjoy up to two complimentary Kids Meals per adult meal purchased (dine-in purchase only), which is a great deal for families with multiple kids.
City BBQ
9116 Rockville Road, Indianapolis
The smell of BBQ is one of the yummiest smells out there, the delectable scent of hickory firewood cooking all sorts of meats. At City BBQ they do just that, and as you enter their restaurant, you are greeted by the delicious smell of BBQ. There is no doubt your kids will want to piece of everything that’s being cooked. Their menu features all your typical BBQ food, and crowd favorites are the BBQ brisket and chicken. They offer a family meal pack deal, and the meats can be substituted to your family’s preference. There is also a good kid’s plate, with a choice of smaller meat sandwich, chicken tenders, or mac-n-cheese. Each meal comes with one side and drink.
Portillo’s
10444 US Highway 36, Avon
Our family has visited Portello’s before they made their debut in Indiana, and now that they are in Avon, we have made a good number of visits to the restaurants. As you walk in, the restaurant has all sorts of cool signs, posters, and memorabilia on the walls. Kids can get a special paper hat while waiting for their meal. Portillo’s is famous for their hot dogs, and they have some great all-beef hot dog selections. Their milkshakes or malts are a must, as well. It makes your meal complete, and adds a tasty treat for dessert.
Carl’s Donuts and Bakery
7481 US Highway 36, Avon
Carl’s Donuts and Bakery is an exciting experience out there for kids. You start off with your freshly made donut, either yeast, premium yeast, or a cake donut. Next, you get to choose a coating; either Bare, Glazed, Cinnamon Sugar, Powdered Sugar, or an Icing choice of Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Maple, Caramel, Lemon, or Blueberry. Next, you move on to topping selections; from Sprinkles, Chocolate, Chopped nuts (Peanuts, Walnuts, Almonds), Shredded Coconut, Oreos, or Fruity Pebbles. If you want, you may choose a filling for your donut; Jelly-filled Strawberry, Black Raspberry, Blueberry, Lemon, Apple, Chocolate, Bavarian cream, or White fluff. This is such a fun way to get kids in on the action of making their very own custom donut.
Rise N’ Roll Bakery
9263 E. US Highway 36, Avon
Rise N’ Roll Bakery has gotten a tremendous number of good reviews and for a great reason. Their donuts are so delicious, and have such fresh and airy taste to them, they keep all their guests wanting to go back for more. These are great to pickup for a quick morning breakfast with the kids before school, or even on the weekends. We like choosing a dozen donuts and doing a taste sampler with all the variety. It’s a great way for everyone in the family to get to taste test all the different donuts that are offered.
El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant
8128 E. US Highway 36, Avon
El Rodeo is one of the most colorful restaurants to eat at in Avon. As you walk in, your eyes feast on the colorful papel picado throughout the dining room. With Mexican art and the colorful chairs that adorn the restaurant, it feels as though you’re stepping into a fiesta. We love visiting this location with kids because of its fun and upbeat vibe. Their menu consists of delicious Mexican food, and some of our family’s favorites are the huge quesadillas, enchiladas, and stuffed nachos. It’s a great place to take kids to enjoy a delicious meal.
Ugly Crab
9655 US Highway 36 E., Avon
When my boys were small, I introduced them early on to seafood, and I’m so glad they still like eating all sorts of seafood. Ugly Crab has proven that you can still have fresh seafood no matter where you live. Their restaurant is inviting to kids, the seafood is brought in fresh daily, and they have a kid-friendly menu. The kids’ menu is rather small, but features fried shrimp and fish sticks. Personally, my kids would rather have some items from the adult menu, such as fresh shrimp, snow crab legs, or the fried catfish. Their hush puppies are also a great addition to any meal. This is definitely a great place to introduce kids to seafood.
Magoos California Pizza
10584 US Highway 36, Avon
Magoo’s California Pizza is one of our favorite pizza places to sit down and enjoy a delicious slice of pizza. The restaurant atmosphere is inviting and a great to take kids to eat. They serve unique and different types of pizzas, along with some of the more traditional choices. They don’t offer a kids’ menu, but have a great list of pizza choices to please everyone in the family. One of our favorites is the chicken tikka pizza, made with slow cooked chicken tikka and topped with veggies. The chappal kabab pizza is also a great choice, with it’s delicious beef kabab topping, making the pizza very unique. They also serve salad, breadsticks, sandwiches, burgers, and magzones, which are like calzones.
Pho 36
9655 US Highway 36 E., Avon
My kids beg to go to Pho 36 for their delicious bubble teas. They make a great, refreshing drink any time of the year. Pho 36 is known for their Vietnamese pho soups. These soups are great to eat during the colder winter months. We frequent Pho 36 when our family needs something to warm up their bodies. Soups here have yummy bone broth, noodles, choice of meat, and toppings you can add, such as basil, bean sprouts, sauces, and lime. The restaurant is warm and inviting, decorated with pictures of Vietnam.
