Step back into a 1960s burger joint at this flashy spot in DDO offering a long list of classic and creative burgers served on buns made fresh in-house daily. The menu also includes a variety of poutines, wraps, and salads, and homemade ice cream for dessert, so there is certainly something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

An iconic Montreal destination since 1930, eating a grilled cheese or a hot dog at the Julep is essentially a rite of passage for any local kid. Sure, it’s not a dine-in joint, but in the summer you can snag a picnic table outside, or enjoy the greasy meal in the trunk of the car like most do.

The vibe at this Monkland Avenue hangout is an ideal blend of chic and chill — adults can feel like they’re “out,” but can still appropriately bring the kids in tow. The all-day menu is Mediterranean-leaning featuring a variety of shakshouka dishes plus sandwiches, salads, smoothies, coffee, beer, and cocktails. 

This Greene avenue staple has been feeding families breakfast, lunch, and dinner for over a century. The extensive menu features lots of omelettes, salads, sandwiches, pastas, grilled meat and fish plates and several choices of grilled cheese. And, if by chance a picky eater can’t find something they like on the menu, they are always happy to accommodate and make changes.

Most diners and breakfast spots in town are relatively kid-friendly, but few have the iconic status of Beautys, with its bagel-based breakfasts, shakes, and its meaty, trademarked Mish-Mash omelette. It’s a daytime spot, only open until 3:30 p.m. daily, and often draws long queues.

Dinner and a show is what it’s about at this Downtown Teppanyaki spot where the chefs entertain the table with exciting fire blasts and flipping of shrimps onto diners plates. The kids think it’s awesome and the parents can relax, while their children are being entertained and fed — a win all around.

As the name implies, pizza is what it’s about at this casual spot in the Golden Square Mile dishing up both New York- (round) and Detroit- (square) style pizzas both by the slice and by the pie. Inspired by the 90s, the decor is bright and colourful and the pizzas are named as an homage to sitcoms of the era like Family Matters and Boy Meets World. So, parents can enjoy the nostalgia and the kids can be satisfied by the food.

With more than 15 years under its belt, Robin des Bois recently moved to new digs at Parc Lafontaine, and in the process became an even better option for lunch out with the kids. Its menu leans casual and homey, featuring its reputable daal, a warming bowl of vegan chilli, and some grilled cheese for the pickier ones. The restaurant is also a nonprofit with connections to various community-level organizations in Montreal — and in the summers, it hosts a culinary camp for kids.

Deep-fried foods for the kids? Check. Beer and wine for the parents? Also check. Open day and night, this oh-so-British affair neatly straddles the line of being ideal for families without feeling fast food-y or low-rent. As the name implies, fried seafood makes up much of the menu, but there are a few salads and other English tidbits like curry chips and Scotch eggs.

Montreal’s diners are eminently kid-friendly, but brunch restaurants can be a bit more fraught: not so at this Village restaurant. Expect a rounded menu with decked-out Benedictines and breakfast poutines, plus grilled cheeses and sweet options like crepes for the younger diners. Daytime only.