Seattle Family Calendar
Subscribe
I wasn’t always a “professional” foodie. I honed my skills with two parents who loved to travel and a mom who loved to cook. Their travels inspired our dinners, and we named meals after the cultures, not the dish: One night we might have had Mexican or Italian. Chinese and Japanese were on regular rotation as well.
From an early age, I was an adventurous eater because my parents made it fun. As a longtime local food and travel writer, I’ve spent countless hours exploring the neighborhood tables, waterfront eateries and unique restaurants that make South Sound dining so special. That role recently led me to write “Unique Eats and Eateries of Tacoma.” I found many places that balance great food with a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere.
Dining out with kids doesn’t mean defaulting to chicken tenders and chaotic noise levels. Tacoma’s culinary scene is richer and more varied than ever, offering plenty of welcoming spots where parents can enjoy a high-quality meal while kids feel right at home. Tacoma and the South Sound are a perfect area to raise foodies.
Here are my suggestions for introducing your children to new flavors and cultures.
The Essential Pantry
Can a shop filled with glass bottles of oil and vinegar be kid-friendly? Surprisingly, yes. The Essential Pantry welcomes well-behaved children. According to Delanee Taylor, the shop’s marketing and social media manager, “Adults tend to assume a specialty kitchen store won’t interest kids, but I’ve repeatedly seen evidence of the opposite. Kids are curious about our products, enjoy trying unfamiliar things, and sometimes they become some of my most enthusiastic regulars.
“There is one family that I especially love to see,” Taylor adds. “Usually, it is the mom and her younger daughter, who I believe is around 10. She is an adventurous eater who loves olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Every time her mom brings her in, she immediately comes over to the tasting bar and asks me what’s new. I think she’s tasted almost everything I have to offer! She’s never afraid to try something new and has liked almost everything she’s tried with us. Overall, when it comes to kids in The Essential Pantry, I think it is important to encourage exploration and curiosity. Kids can be much more adventurous than we sometimes give them credit for when they’re given the opportunity to explore and try something new.”
Note: The shop is not suitable for toddlers or strollers.
Foodie favorites: Try new flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegar at the tasting bar. Tea Tuesday is also popular, with a new tea to sample each week.
Location: 3550 Market Pl. W., Unit A-105, University Place
Duke’s Seafood Tacoma
Tired of kids menus that feel like fast food? If so, then Duke’s Seafood is the restaurant for you. The kids menu is extensive and includes wild prawns, organic chicken breast, wild Alaska coho salmon and a burger made from Royal Ranch grass-fed beef.
Duke’s is big on sustainability, and it is a great place to start teaching children what that means. The waterfront location offers gorgeous views and access to Ruston Way Waterfront parks, which are perfect for a post-meal walk.
Foodie favorites: On the adult menu, I like to order the dinghy-sized chowder samplers, which you can share with your children so they can try different flavors.
Location: 3327 Ruston Way, Tacoma
A Bite of Shanghai
Have you ever watched the movie “Crazy Rich Asians” and salivated at the scene where the family makes traditional dumplings? A Bite of Shanghai will let you try the real deal.
Susie Sun and Robin Lee share their Chinese heritage by offering authentic bao and dumplings. Their signature dish is xiao long bao. “We make real Chinese food, and you should use the real Chinese name,” says Lee.
Kids will love watching Sun and her helpers roll dough and make the bao at this unique restaurant. Allow plenty of time as everything is made to order. A Bite of Shanghai is open Friday through Sunday in the Waterfront Market at Point Ruston. Enjoy an authentic lunch with your kids, then head down to Point Ruston’s playground on the waterfront.
Foodie favorites: I love the xiao long bao, but they can be messy with children because the meat makes its own broth while it steams. The pork or beef dumplings are a good option, and orders are large enough to share.
Location: 5101 Yacht Club Rd., Tacoma
Peking Garden Chinese Restaurant and Pal Do World Market
Pal Do World Market is located in the heart of Lakewood’s International District. The Korean grocery store has a food court as well as other shops and a bakery.
Start with lunch at the Peking Garden Chinese Restaurant. Order at the counter and find a seat. In a flurry of activity, banchan (mini Korean side dishes included with every meal) are placed before you to enjoy. Introduce your children to the new flavors; just watch the kimchi, as it can be too spicy for some.
After lunch, visit the grocery store for fun Asian snacks or pick up the ingredients to cook an authentic Asian meal with your kids.
Foodie favorites: Peking Garden is famed for its noodles, but I like the Korean bulgogi. It is a beef dish with a sweet flavor kids will love too.
Location: 9701 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood
Northwest Lumpia
It takes a bit of planning to enjoy this fun stop’s fusion style of a Filipino treat. Northwest Lumpia is only open Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., and you must preorder for pickup to guarantee availability. Orders at the window are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and items frequently sell out.
First, go to their Facebook or Instagram page to vote for the special lumpia flavor of the week. This is fun to do with children as you debate each choice. Next, place your order online and choose a pickup time. Smiling Charles Marbas, the owner, will hand out your order from the drive-thru window after his wife, Rebecca, prepares it.
Foodie favorites: The No. 10, brown sugared banana. This delectable treat is their version of the Filipino turon (banana lumpia) stuffed with caramelized brown sugar and banana.
Location: 1607 Center St., Tacoma
