Business & Tech

Patch Picks Kid-Friendly Restaurants

Some restaurants just seem to cater to kids. Here are some fun choices!

When it comes to family friendly dining, there's no shortage of restaurants to choose from in the Beach Cities.

Here are four that stand out.

Ruby's Diner, and Rolling Hills Estates

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Ruby's Diner is another one of those energy-filled places that buzzes with excitement. Doug Cavanaugh launched the first Ruby's in 1982 in what been had a dilapidated building at the end of Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, naming the 1940's diner style restaurant after his mom, Ruby.

Ruby's has locations in California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Texas, two of which are in the South Bay, in Redondo Beach and Rolling Hills Estates.

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The diner serves breakfast (full b'fast menu til 11:30 a.m.), lunch and dinner, with items such as Ruby's Beignets, Ruby's Butcher Block Omelette, Deluxe Corned Beef Hash & Eggs, Low-Carb "Really" Big Breakfast, Garden Scramble, Multi-Grain Pancake Combo, Breakfast Sliders, Eggs Benedict, Clam Chowder, Ruby's Chili, Ruby's Apple, Pecan & Bleucheese Salad, The Rubyburger, Rubymelt, Hickory Bourbon Sliders, Rubyclub, Texas Grilled Cheese, Chili Tamale Plate, Seafood Combo, Pacific Halibut Fish & Chips, soft tacos, and countless shakes, malts and the like.

The De-"Lite"-ful menu features Low-Carb Chicken Soft Tacos, Skinny Lunch, Vegwich.

Online there's a Kids Club that's free to join and includes a special birthday treat package, information on fundraising and a rewards program for students, activity pages to print out and more.

At Ruby's, kids receive an activity book with stickers to play with to build a Ruby Town. The restaurant has high chairs and booster seats.

Ruby's Diner in RB is oceanside at 245 North Harbor Drive; 310-376-7829. It is open Sunday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Validated parking in the lot where the restaurant is will cost $1 for two hours if you have Ruby's validate your parking ticket. There is metered parking on the street.

On the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Ruby's Diner is located at 550 Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates, as part of Promenade on the Peninsula, next to the Ice Chalet ice skating rink; 310-544-7829. the diner is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. til 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Parking in the Promenade's structure and on the street is free.

Oh, there's also a Ruby's at Los Angeles International Airport, 201 World Way - Terminal 6; 310-646-2480. It's open daily, 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Islands, Manhattan Beach

Adults and kids love this place and the crowds that gather and wait for seating attest to the eatery's popularity. What began in West Los Angeles in 1982 has grown to more than 50 restaurants in Southern California and Arizona, all company owned.

Islands is CEO Tony DeGrazier's recreation of what he experienced as a U.S. Navy member stationed in Oahu in the 1960s, hence the festive tropical decor and surfing emphasis.

The Manhattan Beach location serves lunch and dinner from a menu that includes hamburgers, salads, appetizers, soft tacos, sandwiches, desserts, smoothies and a Gremmie menu designed for the taste buds of those 12 and under.

The tropical-meets-surfer theme is in the food--"Hula," Bluenami" burgers, "Northshore" soft tacos, "Beachside Sliders," "Tiki Tenders," "Kona Pie," "Trade Wind" smoothie, "The Wedge" sandwich and from the Gremmie menu, "L'il Hotdogger," "Sandcastle," "Jr. Wave," among others.

For the calorie counters among us, there's a "Paradise's Bikini Beach" menu with items all under 680 calories. And, of course, there's the adult attraction of alcohol.

Nicely, the MB Islands' bar is situated a few steps up from the main dining floor and has a tropical motif barrier around it, making it fairly separate from the dining tables. There are plenty of big screen TVs, too, all over the restaurant.

Islands has crayons and an activity book that is part of the Gremmie menu. They offer high chairs, booster seats and cradle type seating helpers for kids in car carriers and the like.

They offer fundraising and tours for school groups.

Islands is also located in Westchester's Howard Hughes Promenade, , Torrance, Long Beach near the Pacific Aquarium on Pine Avenue, North Long Beach in Towne Center and if you're out and about.

In MB, Islands is located in Manhattan Village at 3200 North Sepulveda Boulevard; 310-546-4456; open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Parking in Village parking lots is free. 

Gum Tree, Hermosa Beach

Healthy, delicious, organic and locally-sourced fare is the hallmark of Gum Tree, a quaint cafe and gift shop located in a lovingly restored 1911 beach bungalow in the heart of Pier Avenue's vibrant beachside district.

Will and Lori Ford opened the two-pronged operation after purchasing the property that had been restored by the late cancer activist Barbara Robinson, a Hermosa Beach resident who operated her upscale clothing store p.i.n.k. at the site, raising funds for the Robinson Breast Cancer Research Fund.

The cafe is modeled after the Melbourne, Australia beach scene, Will's native digs, and you're always sure to feel welcome at his cafe, which is known to be the "office" of many a local.

Gum Tree serves breakfast, lunch and items suitable for an early dinner (they close at 4 p.m.) or to take home for dinner. Organic whole fresh fruit, organic free range hard-boiled egg, organic plain and chocolate milk, organic fresh-squeezed juices, organic steel cut oatmeal, organic nonfat Greek yogurt--Gum Tree offers an incredible selection of health-conscious food. Breakfast also includes some pretty tasty sandwich choices--aged cheddar, Vegemite and tomato on sourdough, brie and apricot preserves on a baguette, bacon and feta on ciabatta, scrambled egg, tomato and aged cheddar on a croissant, and avocado on toasted wheat bread.

Lunch includes a Kids menu, offering a grilled cheese sandwich, organic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, banana and Nutella sandwich (sandwiches come with fruit), Healthy Mac 'N Cheese, and a Little Kids Tasting Plate of bite-size turkey, ham, cheese and fruit.

Will likes to do things right, and offers daily blackboard specials, special barbecue events, and an affable demeanor that infuses the cafe.

Aussie Meat Pies and Sausage Rolls are available as are some fun Aussie desserts and sweets.

There's even a "Mini Me" Plate consisting of 2 pieces of mini chicken pies, meat pies and sausage rolls with, uh, ketchup.

The cafe includes a bit of inside seating near the counter where you order, and has a ton of fenced in outdoor seating with a prime perch for people watching or just languishing in the sun. Of course, there are outdoor umbrellas, too.

Once a month, Will offers a special barbecue menu, grilled outdoors at the restaurant.

The next grilling occasion will be in about two weeks, featuring American BBQ, and will include hot dogs and the like. Kids will find little people chairs and tables at Gum Tree and high chairs.

Gum Tree, 238 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach; 310-376-8733. The cafe is open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and closed on Monday. There is metered parking and free street parking nearby.


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