10 kid-friendly restaurants for Philly Marathon weekend
Beyond the street-corner hot dog: Ideas for family-friendly dining near the Philadelphia Marathon route, from South Street to Manayunk.
Sure, you could pick up hot dogs, falafel, or shawarma from a street vendor while watching the Philadelphia Marathon. But here are 10 options for a family-friendly sit-down experience.
Menu style: Greek street-food café with gyros, souvlaki, salads, loukoumades, pita platters.
Kid-friendly notes: Counter-service; quick and easy food; typically calm; just off the Parkway near the start/finish corrals; there’s also a Center City location with counter service at 120 S. 15th St.
📍 161 N. 21st St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-964-9151
Italian Family Pizza
Menu style: Oversized New York/Philly-style slices, whole pies, garlic knots, stromboli, and a fabulous meatball sandwich on a house-baked roll.
Kid-friendly notes: Pizza is an easy win; quick service; plenty of room inside the dining rooms; outside along the Parkway for stroller parking and snacking while watching runners.
📍 1701 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, 📞 215-801-5198
Menu style: 70-plus vendors selling something for everyone, even the picky eaters, sandwiches, pizza, barbecue, ice cream, doughnuts, dumplings.
Kid-friendly notes: Perhaps the city’ most flexible spot for families: high chairs at several stalls, lots of grab-and-go, easy restrooms.
📍 51 N. 12th St. (or 1136 Arch St.), Philadelphia, 📞 215-922-2317
Menu style: Xiao long bao, dumplings, noodles, scallion pancakes, fried rice.
Kid-friendly notes: Dumplings and noodles are easy for kids; drinks for adults; can be busy but the food arrives fast.
📍 1024 Race St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-873-0258
Menu style: American comfort food, featuring burgers, chicken fingers, mac & cheese, salads, brunch dishes.
Kid-friendly notes: One of the most reliably family-friendly restaurants in the city, with a kids’ menu; plenty of room for strollers; drinks for adults; outdoor seating when weather allows.
📍 200 South St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-922-1813
Menu style: American comfort food, including chicken fingers, pancakes, burgers, mac & cheese, with vegetarian/gluten-free options.
Kid-friendly notes: Open space, with indoor (and some outdoor) seating, a selection of adult drinks, and a “neighborhood joint” feel.
📍 121 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-569-3278
Menu style: Food hall with an interesting mix of Peruvian, Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian food, sandwiches, burgers, salads, coffee, pastries, and a Federal Donuts location.
Kid-friendly notes: High-ceilinged, spacious, good bathrooms; fast service — extremely easy for families and large groups; steps from the Walnut Street bridge spectator zone and across from 30th Street Station. There’s a bar, too.
📍 3025 Market St. (Bulletin Building at Drexel), Philadelphia
Menu style: Neapolitan-style pizza, pastas, shareable antipasti, wood-fired dishes.
Kid-friendly notes: Pizza and pasta are always kid wins; roomy layout; easy access relative to Center City; its East Falls location is right next to the Kelly/Ridge spectator stretch.
📍 4116 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, 📞 215-438-4848
Menu style: Pizzas, salads, sandwiches; upstairs bistro has more plated entrées.
Kid-friendly notes: One of the most kid-friendly restaurants in Manayunk — booster seats and high chairs; pizza by the slice; lots of families on weekends; right on the marathon’s Manayunk out-and-back.
📍 102 Rector St., Philadelphia, 📞 215-483-2233
Menu style: Breakfast sandwiches, pastries, burgers, grain bowls, rotisserie chicken, smoothies.
Kid-friendly notes: Huge outdoor space in Bala Cynwyd overlooking the river (across from Manayunk); very stroller-friendly; plenty of room for kids to move around; great for families who want a calmer scene than Main Street.
📍 617 Righters Ferry Rd., Bala Cynwyd, 📞 484-434-8765