After you’ve walked to see the Bright Walls and visited some shops, we know you’ll have worked up an appetite, and you sure don’t want the kiddos to be angry (being a tourist in your town is hard work!)! The good news is, Downtown Jackson is filled with kid-friendly places to eat. The bad news is, you’ll have to decide where to go all by yourself!
Since there are so many options, we decided to go straight to our resident kid-expert to get the kid-friendly recommendations for our post – Big! (For those who don’t know, Big is the nine-year-old member of the Wonder and Wander – Jackson team.)
Big’s Recommendation for Dinner:
Junkyard Dog
Big loves Junkyard Dog. (Click the link above to see their menu.) The kid’s menu is nice and simple – a dog, a slider, or tenders, with the choice of crinkle-cut fries or mac and cheese, and a drink. Even better – you get all that for $3.00. Honestly, you can’t beat that. Aside from their kid options, their “grown-up” hot dogs are delicious and different (I usually go for The Pretzel Dog). The tater tots are crisped up perfectly every time, and the price for a family meal at Junkyard Dog is just right. There is plenty of seating, and unless there is a major downtown event happening (like the Christmas Parade), there is very rarely a wait. Junkyard Dog definitely gets the Kid-Friendly Seal of Approval.
Big’s Recommendation for Dessert:
City Crepes
Step into City Crepes, and you’ll feel like you’ve entered a Creperie in Paris. Oui, oui. I’ll never forget the first time I took Big here. I had to talk him into going in the first place and then I had to convince him to take a bite. One bite and he was food moaning and saying how delicious his crepe was. It is that good. City Crepes’ menu features a variety of savory and sweet crepes, french press coffee, and some other goodies too. You could make a full meal out of your visit if you only wanted to have one-stop. Word to the wise, if you are comfortable with doing so, you’ll want to dine-in at the restaurant, as that’s the only way to get the homemade whipped cream on your dessert crepe. Ooh la la.
Honorable Mentions:
Grand River Brewery
The kids’ menu at Grand River offers a nice range of choices, and, BONUS, you can enjoy some beer or wine while getting yummy grown-up eats!
Veritas
A bit of a classier spot, Veritas offers a great kids’ menu. If you want to expose your kiddos to some fine dining, we recommend visiting during lunch hours when the restaurant isn’t as busy. Pro tip: ask for extra focaccia rolls right off the bat. You won’t be sorry.
The Blue Julep
The Blue Julep’s cupcakes are delicious. Make sure you check their hours before planning your visit and check their Facebook page to make sure they haven’t sold out of goodies for the day.
We don’t know how you’ll choose, but we do know that you really can’t go wrong! Bon Appetit!