Best Family Restaurants in Northlake

"From the jump more than a dozen years ago, urbanbelly has been serving flavorful Asian fast-casual food and it only gets better. Led by award-winning Chef Bill Kim and Cornerstone Restaurant Group, the menu lists signature dumplings, bowls and specialties such as the gluten-free and dairy free Coconut Curry Pho and Kim's signature ramen. Order slippery dumplings (stuffed with Korean BBQ beef, chicken red curry or edamame) by the piece and pair 'em with something crispy like Thai fried chicken or Togarashi fries."

"Bill Kim is best known for his modern interpretations of ramen, dumplings, and Latin-Asian fusion, but one menu item equally worthy of adoration is his soft-serve ice cream. The dessert has been a fixture at Belly Shack since day one, but my favorite version is the PB&J soft-serve at Urban Belly. The velvety, slightly sweet soft-serve is heaped into a tall cup striated with ample doses of crunchy peanut butter and huckleberry jelly."

"The longest-established purveyor of canelés in Chicago, Floriole Café & Bakery's Sandra Holl may also be their least traditional practitioner. Holl produces her canelés without the use of beeswax, and has even been known to tweak the time-honored vanilla-rum flavor profile. (A chocolate version, for instance, makes an appearance in the café each February.) Traditional or not, her approach works."

"Floriole is home to some of the best desserts in Chicago, and they always aim to go organic and local with their ingredients where possible. What we love about this spot, is that their menu is constantly changing according to the availability of produce. While this vibe may not be for everyone, there’s something exciting about this potluck experience."

"This bright cafe and bakery is known for their rustic French pastries, made using fresh ingredients sourced from local, sustainable farms. Head straight to the dessert case to choose from a rotating selection of from-scratch goodies, like croissants, Basque cake, fruit galettes, and more."

"Demera Ethiopian Restaurant brings a touch of Africa to Chicago with authentic Ethiopian cuisine. Located on the corner of Broadway Street and St Lawrence, Demera serves traditional dishes such as sambussa, messob, and Doro Wat, and they also have an excellent selection of cocktails, wine, and hot drinks. Chef Tigist creates an array of dishes that will take you on a culinary journey into the heart of Ethiopia, with tender meat and vegetable combinations soaked in spicy sauces that guests are encouraged to eat by hand."

"A crown jewel of the city's culinary scene and a must-visit for anyone who's craving traditional Ethopian eats. Why we love it: With more than a decade of experience under its belt, most Chicagoans know Demera on a first-name basis. Owner Tigist Reda is backed by years of watching and helping the women in her family cook."

"Though Demera offers traditional meat dishes, they have a dedicated vegan menu that includes authentic Ethiopian fare. Family-style combo platters are available for diverse sampling from one of the best restaurants in Chicago. Demera Ethiopian | 4801 N."

"Close to both the Lincoln Park zoo and Lincoln Park, RJ Grunts is the perfect restaurant to park your stroller at after a day of running around. They have a stroller valet (and regular valet if you have a car) to keep everything safe while you enjoy one of their famous burgers with chips. They think about the little things here — kids’ meals come with unspillable cups, animal crackers and crayons on old-style cafeteria trays."

"Here since the 1970s and continuing to sustain their vintage vibes, this American restaurant in Chicago has a long history of dishing out the best diner eats, for a pretty awesome price. Juicy burgers, shakes, famous wings, great appetizers, and a large salad bar that actually makes eating salad sound fun. This is one of the best affordable restaurants in Chicago because of the large selection of food to choose from."

"Strollers are aplenty along Southport Avenue so it's no surprise that Crosby's Kitchen is a haven for tikes in this Lakeview neighborhood brimming with young families. The best part is that it's not just friendly for the young ones, it's also great for older kids and adults dining sans kids, complete with a wine menu. Order yourself a Bloody Mary and the table some monkey bread to start and choose from a kid's menu or the regular menu for brunch, lunch or dinner."

"This restaurant was designed with kids in mind, namely the daughter, Crosby, of one of the owners. Her influence served them well — extra-wide doors accommodate strollers, and there’s a sink in the dining room, so kids can wash up. The kids’ menu is pretty standard, but adds a few different dishes like the chicken leg that comes straight off their signature rotisserie."

"This family-friendly diner offers Midwestern-inspired comfort food that’s sure to please. The staff are very accommodating to children and work hard to make sure they have a good time. You can’t go wrong with their dinner menu, and definitely give brunch a try—no one can get enough of their signature monkey bread!"

"Huck Finn Restaurant serves up hearty American meals all day, but regulars swear by their donuts.|© Salim Virji / Flickr. Huck Finn Restaurant serves up hearty home cooking all day long in three Chicagoland locations. While best known—or perhaps most appreciated—for its donuts, the diner has excellent breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, too."

"This diner mini-chain has three locations on the South Side that provide patrons with a satisfyingly sweet finish to every meal. Chow on golden brown pancakes, club sandwiches, and burgers but make sure to save some room for a donut delight. The signature treat features one of Huck’s donuts topped with choice of ice cream and whipped cream."

"Proclaiming her product to be the “best ever grilled cheese” is a bold move but Gayle Voss backs it up. The sandwich maker was a longtime fixture at local farmers markets before turning her business into a full-scale operation inside Block 37 a few years ago. The menu always features the “Classic” (Prairie Pure butterkase, Bennison’s Bakery sourdough, Nordic Creamery butter), as well as seasonal creations like “Abreo” (cheddar, Honeycrisp apple, bacon-onion jam) and “Sebastian,” a lobster grilled cheese that’s only sold on Fridays."

"Gayle's has been a fixture for years in Chicago farmers markets, where you could grab a crispy grilled cheese sandwich made with white sourdough from Bennison's Bakery in Evanston, Prairie Pure Butterkase cheese from Belvidere and butter from Nordic Creamery in Westby, Wis. These exceptional ingredients fuse to make one gooey, irresistible sandwich. I especially love the Southport ($8), which adds a sweet smoked onion marmalade to the classic grilled cheese."

"We all need a little grilled cheese in our lives; we might as well get the best Chicago has to offer. Call 312-285-2202 for pickup orders and enter using the Pedway, use the Gayle V’s Best Ever Grilled Cheese or What's Good app, or find them on Grubhub and Ritual. They will also deliver with an order of 10 or more sandwiches."

"Logan Square With a hop-heavy lineup of IPAs including double, Belgian, black, and session IPAs, Pipeworks started out in a tiny Chicago space in 2012 which was originally geared towards brewing one-offs for beer nerds in the niche market. Now with a goal of releasing a new beer every week, the hyper prolific brewer is one of the more recognizable yet underappreciated Chicago craft brewers. With plans to open a brewpub in Logan Square in 2019 (where it will face stiff competition), knowing about Pipeworks still feels like being letting in on your cooler big brother’s secret."

"Merrit Lewis and Beejay Oslon didn’t follow the traditional route of attending brewing school before opening up their own brewery in Chicago. Instead, the two friends traveled to Belgium and worked for free at De Struise Brouwers. When the pair returned, they crowdsourced funds and opened Pipeworks Brewing Company in 2012."

"Get in the spring mood with a pint from Pipeworks (the artwork will get your juices creative flowing!). Place your contact-free Pipeworks Brewing Co. pick-up order ahead of time and don’t forget to tip!"

"American , Pizza"

"Moody Tongue moved from Pilsen to near McCormick Place with dreams of creating a tasting-menu restaurant that could attract Michelin attention. That plan never fully developed as the pandemic halted momentum. So the brewery shifted to barbecue with Slagel Family Farms short rib, pork ribs, pulled pork, and more."

"Moody Tongue Brewing offers exotic beers along with oysters & their famous 12 layer German chocolate cake at their tasting room with a fireplace. curbside pick-up or delivery by ordering online. Or dine inside and try their famous 12 Layer German Chocolate Cake!"

"If you’re into pro wrestling, the arena boasts one of the loudest crowds in the WWE. DePaul University's men’s basketball team, the Arena Football League, Chicago Wolves ice hockey, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney On Ice, and musicians also offer lots of action."

"Grab lunch at a nearby café and browse the shops in The Loop. Make your way over to Millennium Park to see the famous Cloud Gate (a.ka. the bean). It’s usually busy during the day, but you might get lucky by going early in the morning before other tourists arrive."