NYC kid friendly food but still not fast food?

[elizat]

Hi- we are taking a very short trip to NYC the first week of August before school starts for a few nights.

We have a picky 12 year old. He likes chicken fingers, breakfast, fries, plain pizza, Dunkin donuts and pb and j basically.

I have been many many times but never with him. Any suggestions for dinner in Manhattan or Brooklyn for dinner that may have stuff he will eat that's not fast food? Or pizza?

We want to do one night that's a nicer restaurant, but may leave him at the hotel for that.

Thanks!

 

[OreoRosies86]

My kids are crazy picky but they absolutely LOVE going to get ramen when we go to NYC. They will devour a bowl of plain ramen with chicken, and there are so many great noodle shops all over.

 

[JPie]

I was also going to suggest ramen!

 

[MollyMalone]

I was going to suggest Landmarc at the Time-Warner Center across from Central Park as that worked well for both my nephew with his similarly limited palate & the rest of the family. But alas, it's closing this week.

Do you have a tentative itinerary in mind? E.g., if you'll be doing the High Line, take a look at Cookshop and Coppellia to see what you think of their menus and prices:
https://www.cookshopny.com/
https://ilovecoppelia.com/

If you'll be visiting the 9/11 Memorial, how about Blue Smoke (they do have a kids menu):
https://www.bluesmoke.com/location/blue-smoke-battery-park-city/

All 3 of the above take reservations, so you wouldn't have to slog around in the summer heat and humidity in search of a place that appeals to you & can seat you promptly

But if we had a better idea of your plans and your hotel location, we could offer more, focused suggestions.

FYI: NYC's Summer Restaurant "Week" actually is running through August 18, so that could be a fine way for you and your husband to audition a new restaurant if you're going to have a "date night":
https://www.nycgo.com/restaurant-week

 

[Nikki1415]

I tend to hangout in the Columbus Circle area due to Graduate School.
I recommend:
Roberts (on top of The Museum of Arts and Design)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/robert-new-york-25
Fluffy's Cafe (open 24 hrs, they have amazing stir fry, salads, pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and desserts).
https://www.yelp.com/biz/fluffys-cafe-and-pizzeria-new-york-2?osq=fluffy's+cafe

And @MollyMalone's suggestion is great. I already have a few reservations for Restaurant week but I can't recommend anything because I chose new places (there are hundreds of choices and hard to choose).

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

how wounderful
a few days as a family in NYC
the food looks amazing
maybe with a bit of luck he might just extend his pallet a little and discover some new flavours
have lots of fun

 

[elizat]

My kids are crazy picky but they absolutely LOVE going to get ramen when we go to NYC. They will devour a bowl of plain ramen with chicken, and there are so many great noodle shops all over.

I like that idea! He will eat plain noodles. As long as it's vegetable free with just chicken it may work!

 

[PintoBean]

S'mac

 

[Rockdiamond]

https://www.gyu-kaku.com/east-village/
You cook your own food- it's fun! Get there before 6 for the half-price specials
My guys love this place- it's out of midtown, in a very cool spot. Abraham Lincoln once gave a speech at Cooper Union University, right across the street.

 

[elizat]

I was going to suggest Landmarc at the Time-Warner Center across from Central Park as that worked well for both my nephew with his similarly limited palate & the rest of the family. But alas, it's closing this week.

Do you have a tentative itinerary in mind? E.g., if you'll be doing the High Line, take a look at Cookshop and Coppellia to see what you think of their menus and prices:
https://www.cookshopny.com/
https://ilovecoppelia.com/

If you'll be visiting the 9/11 Memorial, how about Blue Smoke (they do have a kids menu):
https://www.bluesmoke.com/location/blue-smoke-battery-park-city/

All 3 of the above take reservations, so you wouldn't have to slog around in the summer heat and humidity in search of a place that appeals to you & can seat you promptly

But if we had a better idea of your plans and your hotel location, we could offer more, focused suggestions.

FYI: NYC's Summer Restaurant "Week" actually is running through August 18, so that could be a fine way for you and your husband to audition a new restaurant if you're going to have a "date night":
https://www.nycgo.com/restaurant-week

Thanks! and thank you for the recommendations! I typically go solo once or twice a year and it's a very different trip when I go solo!

We are staying in Midtown East, off of E. 56th.

We will be doing the High Line, The Met, The Intrepid, and Natural History for sure. We are pretty close to central park and he wants to wander there too.

We will do either Empire State or Top of the Rock one night so he can see some night time views. He's very into theater and acting, so we will probably do a Radio City tour as well. Dad may cover that on his own without me. I will be breaking off from them at times. Dad is going take him to the 9/11 memorial and some type of Statue of Liberty tour as well. We are going to get tickets to a show as well- we were thinking the Ain't Too Proud show about the Temptations, because we think he'd like the music and story.

Thanks for the tip on restaurant "week" I will see what we can do there for sure for a night out.

My brother lives in Astoria and we'll see him during the trip too. Or at least I will when we break apart.

 

[elizat]

https://www.gyu-kaku.com/east-village/
You cook your own food- it's fun! Get there before 6 for the half-price specials
My guys love this place- it's out of midtown, in a very cool spot. Abraham Lincoln once gave a speech at Cooper Union University, right across the street.

Thanks! He will eat white rice and chicken, so he may like that! Plus, he is obsessed with Abraham Lincoln and he'd probably find that pretty interesting!

He has a super limited diet. We have booked into where we have a small kitchen, and plan to go buy him some basics that he will eat. It makes being away from home harder- at home we can't go to a place to eat with him unless they have all day breakfast or chicken fingers and fries....

 

[elizat]

how wounderful
a few days as a family in NYC
the food looks amazing
maybe with a bit of luck he might just extend his pallet a little and discover some new flavours
have lots of fun

Thanks! I hope he will. That would be awesome if he did and it would be easier! I am sure he will try bagels (plain only with butter) cookies and cakes and pizza (even though it's not Dominos, which according to him is the best ever out there!), but I don't hold out hope for much else!

 

[elizat]

I tend to hangout in the Columbus Circle area due to Graduate School.
I recommend:
Roberts (on top of The Museum of Arts and Design)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/robert-new-york-25
Fluffy's Cafe (open 24 hrs, they have amazing stir fry, salads, pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and desserts).
https://www.yelp.com/biz/fluffys-cafe-and-pizzeria-new-york-2?osq=fluffy's+cafe

And @MollyMalone's suggestion is great. I already have a few reservations for Restaurant week but I can't recommend anything because I chose new places (there are hundreds of choices and hard to choose).

Thanks! The Fluffy's Place sounds very much like him and I was weighing a Radio City tour v. a Lincoln Center Tour. He is very into acting and theater, so I wasn't sure which one he may like better. When I was his age, we went to the Radio City Christmas Show and I remember thinking it was pretty awesome at that age.

 

[MollyMalone]

@elizat
Given the sights you plan on seeing, I'll heartily encourage you to consider purchasing Explorer Passes from what used to be Smart Destinations, but is now GoCity. The beauty of these passes is their flexibility. You choose which attractions -- and how many: 3, 4, 5, 7, or 10 -- will be covered by the Pass. In addition to the usual discounts conferred by buying an Explorer Pass, they are now offering a special sale with an additional discount; the sale expires this Sunday, July 28, but Explorer Passes are good for 30 days from date of purchase, which is perfect for you all, and because your son is 12, he still qualifies for a kid's Explorer Pass. I buy these passes whenever I have family or friends visiting from out of town & have never had any kind of problem with them.
https://gocity.com/new-york/en-us/products/explorer

Among the attractions you can choose from: the Intrepid (and because of the flexibility, you could buy Explorer Passes that would cover that for you husband and son, but leave it off your Pass), the Met, Top of the Rock -- which I think is a far superior experience than going to the observation deck of the Empire State Building (and you can see the ESB from Top of the Rock), the 9/11 Memorial-Museum, AMNH, etc.

Unfortunately, Broadway Up Close is not yet an Explorer Pass participant (although the Radio City Music Hall Stage Door tour is). But a Broadway Up Close tour might be the most rewarding for your son & has been consistently getting top reviews:
https://www.broadwayupclose.com/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d1739552-Reviews-Broadway_Up_Close_Walking_Tours-New_York_City_New_York.htm
https://www.yelp.com/biz/broadway-up-close-walking-tours-new-york

But don't use Explorer Pass for a Statute of Liberty cruise, if it's not important to you to actually step foot on, and explore, Liberty and Ellis Islands (which will eat up most of a morning or afternoon); half-price options for the express cruises, all of which stop at the foot of the Statute for photo ops, are available via Goldstar. You have to "join" Goldstar to take advantage of their offerings, but it costs nothing to join; they don't inundate your email IN box with tons of spam; membership means you can get Goldstar discounts all around the country; and you can "quit" at any time.
https://www.goldstar.com/new-york/categories/tour-cruise-tickets?

Goldstar also has a good deal for the Radio City Music Hall Stage Door tour, if you decide that's the theatre-related tour you'd like to do. So I'd use Goldstar for that & use the Explorer Pass to cover other pricey options.
https://www.goldstar.com/events/new-york-ny/radio-city-stage-door-tour-1

 

[MollyMalone]

P.S. I just checked a Broadway ticket sales database. Ain't Too Proud has been a complete sell-out most nights & there are no discounted tix for advance purchase (Premium seats have sometimes been available at the TKTS booth, but even at 1/2 off, those would be $150+ each). But Come From Away just got added to Broadway Box's lineup of discounted tix for advance purchase whereby you can pick your own seats:
https://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/tickets/discounts/

 

[elizat]

@MollyMalone thank you so much! That is so incredibly helpful and so detailed- I very much appreciate all the info! I am going to do the pass for all of us. I may get them more attractions than me, because I'll need a break at times. I'll buy it before we go.

I have never done TOR- only the Empire State because that's what we did when I was a kid. Nostalgia, I guess. I went up last summer for the heck of it. It's expensive! I think he would love the Broadway up Close tour. I'm going to show that to his Dad tonight. I didn't know about that one! When I come, I come to see my brother, eat food, go get a facial, etc. and usually time it with one of the antique jewelry shows- the summer one is this weekend, so I'm missing it by days...

I think the boat ride/tour to see the Statue would be enough for him probably.

I was looking at the Ain't Too Proud tickets- they had some for a Thursday evening and a matinee in the mezzanine that weren't too bad for between $69 and $80ish. I looked at the View from the Seat site and they don't seem like they'd be too bad for seats, even though they are up higher. I don't think he will care where we sit, as long as he can see the show. He goes to shows here and we usually cheap out and buy the mezzanine and he has never complained. It looks like the Imperial seats 1417 and our local place seats 2600, so it should be a bit smaller. The layout doesn't look too bad for the mezzanine there if you are in the front section.

I'm going to check out the other show you linked too!

I'm looking forward to not being at work for a few days personally. And food. I wish I wasn't missing the antique jewelry show by just a few days though!

 

[MollyMalone]

@MollyMalone * * * I think the boat ride/tour to see the Statue would be enough for him probably.
I was looking at the Ain't Too Proud tickets- they had some for a Thursday evening and a matinee in the mezzanine that weren't too bad for between $69 and $80ish. I looked at the View from the Seat site and they don't seem like they'd be too bad for seats, even though they are up higher. I don't think he will care where we sit, as long as he can see the show. He goes to shows here and we usually cheap out and buy the mezzanine and he has never complained. It looks like the Imperial seats 1417 and our local place seats 2600, so it should be a bit smaller. The layout doesn't look too bad for the mezzanine there if you are in the front section.

Oh that's great that you're seeing mezzanine seats for your dates for Ain't Too Proud! I checked some random dates in early to mid-August, but there were not 3 cheap-ish seats together for the performances I looked at. The Imperial is wider than it is deep, so definitely no problem with the mezzanines there (except for the seats far on either side).

For the shorter, harbor cruise, I'd suggest either
* Classic Harbor's 1-hour cruise on their Yacht Manhattan or Full Moon that leaves from the North Cove Marina alongside Brookfield Place, so that would be super convenient to the 9/11 Memorial-Museum
https://sail-nyc.com/browse-by-location/north-cove-marina/, or
* the Circle Line's 1-hour Statue of Liberty Express Cruise, departing from South Street Seaport, a pleasant 15-minute walk to/from the 9/11 Memorial-Museum:
https://www.circleline.com/sightseeing-cruises/statue-of-liberty/downtown-liberty-express
Both of these should be available for your dates via Goldstar.

Also, when you're at the 9/11 Memorial-Museum, make a short detour to see
* the Winter Garden Atrium inside Brookfield Place; special exhibition there now
https://bfplny.com/events/Tepkik
* Eleven Tears, American Express's tribute to their employees who perished on 9/11, which is just inside 200 Vesey Street (part of what's now 3 World Financial Center/Brookfield Place)
https://www.nyc-arts.org/organizations/2446/eleven-tears-memorial
* and the Irish Hunger Memorial that's across the street (North End Ave) from the Conrad Hotel; it's a very unique, memorable spot that's off the radar screen of many tourists (and locals):
https://bpcparks.org/whats-here/parks/irish-hunger-memorial/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/irish-hunger-memorial

GoogleMap I made showing walking route:
https://goo.gl/maps/5kXnPLEuKcnxFaNS7

In addition to the previously mentioned Blue Smoke, there's a decent food court (better than what's found at most shopping malls) known as Hudson Eats, inside Brookfield Place. And a special Smorgasburg collection of food vendors on Fridays by the Oculus:
https://www.downtownny.com/events/smorgasburg-at-wtc-oculus
https://www.yelp.com/biz/smorgasburg-new-york-5

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thanks! I hope he will. That would be awesome if he did and it would be easier! I am sure he will try bagels (plain only with butter) cookies and cakes and pizza (even though it's not Dominos, which according to him is the best ever out there!), but I don't hold out hope for much else!

even if its not a salad or an exotic fresh fruit i guess every new flavour is a plus
i was a really fussy kid (we never had MacDonalds in my town till i was 1 but this winter ive made cauliflower cheese twice (im 47- its taken a while)
i would love to try a real New York pizza - you can buy it by the slice can't you
and the beagles - i beleave its the really awsome water they have that make the beagles so great ...and pastrami Yum
I have to win lotto

but a beagle would be awsome
before you know it he'll be wanting smoked salmon and avacardo with cream cheese in his beagle ......or maybe just a new vessel for PB&J


incertendly the beagles here are yuck
when i was a kid my parents always let me order a steak off the adults menu because i didn't like the stuff they had on kid's menus back then
he might just surprise you
anyway i just know you'll have a wounderful time

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@MollyMalone thank you so much! That is so incredibly helpful and so detailed- I very much appreciate all the info! I am going to do the pass for all of us. I may get them more attractions than me, because I'll need a break at times. I'll buy it before we go.

I have never done TOR- only the Empire State because that's what we did when I was a kid. Nostalgia, I guess. I went up last summer for the heck of it. It's expensive! I think he would love the Broadway up Close tour. I'm going to show that to his Dad tonight. I didn't know about that one! When I come, I come to see my brother, eat food, go get a facial, etc. and usually time it with one of the antique jewelry shows- the summer one is this weekend, so I'm missing it by days...

I think the boat ride/tour to see the Statue would be enough for him probably.

I was looking at the Ain't Too Proud tickets- they had some for a Thursday evening and a matinee in the mezzanine that weren't too bad for between $69 and $80ish. I looked at the View from the Seat site and they don't seem like they'd be too bad for seats, even though they are up higher. I don't think he will care where we sit, as long as he can see the show. He goes to shows here and we usually cheap out and buy the mezzanine and he has never complained. It looks like the Imperial seats 1417 and our local place seats 2600, so it should be a bit smaller. The layout doesn't look too bad for the mezzanine there if you are in the front section.

I'm going to check out the other show you linked too!

I'm looking forward to not being at work for a few days personally. And food. I wish I wasn't missing the antique jewelry show by just a few days though!

i am available to help pack your bags

 

[elizat]

@MollyMalone

We got the tickets to Ain't too Proud, booked a Broadway up Close tour and got the explorer pass. I feel more organized now!

I'm going to check out the other food link and the tours/boat tours you linked too!

I have to find us somewhere for a date night, so I'm going to play around and see what there is on the restaurant week thing!

@Daisys and Diamonds thank you! You are too sweet.

 

[alene]

Very few restaurants in NYC are not kid friendly, even the fancy ones. My kids are 11 and we’ve been taking them places for years, people usually go out if their way to accommodate. I just asked, and, apparently, their favorite fancy place at the moment is Oceana. They got to make their own dessert though a couple months ago, so that was a big hit.
https://www.oceanarestaurant.com/menus/dinner-menu/

For cheaper places, check out the Korean bbq places on 32nd street. You get to grill your own meat, which my kids really enjoy. I guess they’re into interactive dining.

 

[MollyMalone]

@MollyMalone
We got the tickets to Ain't too Proud, booked a Broadway up Close tour and got the explorer pass. I feel more organized now!
* * *
.

YAY for you!

Some food-shopping possibilities near East 56th:
Whole Foods on E. 57th, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues:
https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/midtown-east

Morton Williams on 1st Ave, between E. 57th and 56th Streets:
http://www.mortonwilliams.com/

 

[purplesilk]

YAY for you!

Some food-shopping possibilities near East 56th:
Whole Foods on E. 57th, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues:
https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/midtown-east

Morton Williams on 1st Ave, between E. 57th and 56th Streets:
http://www.mortonwilliams.com/

Both , though I prefer Whole Food Market which is .

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

my OH has 2 grandchildren
Kaleb is older and is quite food adventouse
for his 11th birthday he choose a Himalayan/ Indian restaurant and choose and enjoyed something hot and unfamilar
Kiera would not even eat chricken
Kiera and her mum came to visit last Saturday and Gary made cottage pie for lunch because its winter and cold,
he put no veges, (peas and corn as a side only) no spice or heat in it, but kiera wouldn't even try it
its kind of frustrating - she's maybe 8 or 9 now
my sister and i were fussy kids but we ate peas and corn and spuds and slowly as we aged we tried new things and discovered other veg and we were good with all fruit

kiera wouldn't have a yougart or a banana or even an orange juice (we dont have coke in our house because i hate coke)
6 chicken nuggets can't have been very filling - and she left one (cat said yum)

thank goodness i had that bag of chicken nuggets in the freezer

 

[GliderPoss]

This isn't intended at the OP specifically but in general is must be SOOOOO frustrating as parents who have picky kids. I know a few myself and I really do sympathize if they won't even TRY IT ONCE!

Don't think we were extra picky as kids (somehow never had the choice?) as I think Mum & Dad were quite willing to let us starve unless we ate what was in front of us, and I'm now grateful to them for encouraging us to have a broad palate... but I'm still not fond of brussel sprouts!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

This isn't intended at the OP specifically but in general is must be SOOOOO frustrating as parents who have picky kids. I know a few myself and I really do sympathize if they won't even TRY IT ONCE!

Don't think we were extra picky as kids (somehow never had the choice?) as I think Mum & Dad were quite willing to let us starve unless we ate what was in front of us, and I'm now grateful to them for encouraging us to have a broad palate... but I'm still not fond of brussel sprouts!

not an advocate of brussel sprouts but my SIL stir fryed them with bacon and they wern't too bad
my poor mother used to cook about 6 different veges plus potatoes every night so us kids wouldn't go hungry
i still will not eat silver beet
but things did imorove dramatically with the microwave and veg started to retain some flavour
i still hate all boiled veg

 

[Logan Sapphire]

OP, assuming your son isn't 6' tall already, if he can't see well in the theater, you can get a booster seat (if he's willing). I think the Imperial's booster seats are plastic, but most are just a thicker cushion. In fact, I just saw two shows last week in NYC and used booster seats for myself.

PS- I totally empathize about the picky eater- my 9 year old is incredibly picky, some of which I attribute to food allergies.

 

[elizat]

Update...

He was ok, but not adventurous. Would not try ramen and we had to find him something else.

Said bagels from Dunkin donuts were better.
But overall, went well. The Broadway Up Close is a great tour for anyone interested in that- and Ain't too Proud was an excellent show.