My Favorite Restaurant with Kids
Plus two of my favorite dinner table activities
Bogota Latin Bistro is my go-to restaurant with my children; it works on so many occasions. I love the food, but the logistics and space shine for an amazing overall experience with children.
The Food
Brunch
Brunch is my favorite meal here. They take reservations and open early on weekends (10 am), but you can usually find a table before noon without a reservation.
The breakfast tacos are delicious. You can see from the photo above, they fill that tortilla with so much goodness! Beans, potatoes, peppers, it all adds so much flavor. My husband raves about the breakfast paella.
I love that every entree here comes with a side of fruit. The fruit cup has mango and strawberry every time; it's not a throwaway fruit cup filled with honeydew. (No offense to honeydew; we all know there is a varying quality here.)
Lunch & Dinner
Bogota is open for weekday lunch starting at 11:30. It’s not often I want a weekday meal out but it’s so hard to find and remember the schedule for many other neighborhood places. (Video above is my son enjoyed his quesadilla on a day off from school this Fall.)
For weekday lunches, they have specials, and I love the shredded pork entree. Each special comes with an empanada, too. All the empanadas are amazing!
My children enjoy the Pan de Bono; we had to order extra servings last time. They can be a bit picky regarding entrees, so the quesadilla is our default.
I would recommend trying the empanada sampler if you're dining with a group. Some of my friends swear by the chicken tortilla soup. The sangria served here is exceptional, and they also have several cocktails that complement the Colombian cuisine. Realistically, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!
More reasons to love Bogota:
The Space
This is a restaurant where I would bring my Vista Stroller! (My children have outgrown now but I can’t think of any other restaurant where we would.) Of course, if it’s a hectic time, things might be a bit harder, but they will park strollers towards the back. We used to go a lot on Saturdays at 10 am when my son was a baby, and we often could keep the stroller right next to our table.
There is a covered back garden, which is excellent during transitional times in the season. They have outdoor dining in the front of the restaurant, but with the new rules from the city, I’m not sure if it will stay.
Hours
I mentioned this above, but the early brunch and weekday lunch make Bogota Latin Bistro a no-brainer dining option in many situations. You don’t have to consider whether they’re open; they usually are.
Ideas to bring to the meal
It’s inevitable that my children will watch my phone at some point during a meal out. I’m okay with caving but I try to keep at bay for as long as possible with activities.
Mondo Llama Craft Kits: I’m obsessed with these $5 craf kits from Target! I often will stock up and keep some around the apartment for a rainy day or a meal out. These kits contain everything you need for the craft, no extra scissors or glue. They’re challenging for kids to do individually before six but still enjoyable for 4+ with some adult help.
Melissa & Doug Puzzles in a Box: We had a slightly different version of this that was amazing for my children around 3. The pieces were large and contained. We didn’t have to worry about making or losing too much at the restaurant. It’s also pretty easy for them to use alone, even if they make mistakes.
What’s your favorite restaurant out in the neighborhood? I’m planning for both restaurant reviews and activities for kids at the table to be a consistent series.
-Katie