Akiras Cafe & Restaurant serves international cuisine, which gives their menu a good variety. This, I believe, makes them a good choice for children who are picky eaters because you’re sure to find something they’ll like.

My personal favourite is their seafood trio, which has scallops, prawn skewers, and pan-fried salmon. The seafood is fresh, with the prawns large enough for the serving and the salmon perfectly tender.

They have two different menus: brunch and dinner. I find both menus to be equally great, although the kids’ menu remains the same for both.

Their kids’ menu consists of hamburgers, chicken strips, fish and chips, and chicken nuggets. There are, however, other kid-friendly items like buttermilk pancakes on the brunch menu and chicken wings on the dinner menu.

The food quality, however, can be a little bit inconsistent with some items tasting better on some days. Fortunately, the restaurant management takes criticism well and promises to improve.

The ambience in the restaurant is just what you’d expect from a family restaurant—warm and inviting. However, it can get noisy and a little rowdy when there are multiple children present.

This has led to some customers complaining about the noise. The advantage to this, however, is that you don’t have to feel conscious should you have a crying or noisy kid.

Don’t be fooled: while Tony Roma’s is best known for their ribs, they have a good variety in other menu items as well. Other than their ribs, they have steaks, chicken, seafood, burgers, and appetisers. 

I like how they have a good variety in their kids’ menu as well, with a total of eight different items for your kids to choose from. Some items from their kids’ menu are boneless chicken, fish and chips, burger, and mac and cheese.

The items on their kids’ menu are much cheaper at less than $10 each. This is in contrast to their regular menu items, which can go up to around $60 for a full rack of their ribs.

The regular serving sizes are pretty large, which can justify the prices. Depending on the size you get, their ribs can be at least a foot or 30 centimetres—the perfect size to share with your family.

However, I have found their food quality to be inconsistent, which is not something I expected for their price range. Some dishes lacked seasoning, but we were able to request for the kitchen to make adjustments to them.

I found the same to be true for their service as well, which is something other diners noticed as well. There were several complaints about slow service and the quality of their food, similar to what we raised earlier.

As its name suggests, Riverside Cafe sits right by the Swan River with great views of the Swan Bell Tower. It’s a perfect spot for brunch and mid-afternoon drinks if you plan on having a date with your partner.

They’re equally as great for your whole family. You can enjoy the fresh air if you dine outside. 

Their high bar stool-style chairs indoors are perfect for little toddlers to reach the table.

While they are a family-friendly place, they, unfortunately, don’t have a kids’ menu. However, there are several kid-friendly options on their menu, such as pizzas, burgers, and breakfast favourites like toast, pancakes, and waffles.

I like how they have vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options on their menu. You can request some dishes to be modified as well to suit your dietary restrictions.

My personal favourite is their poached eggs and avocado on toast. Their poached eggs are cooked just right, and there’s nothing like having the runny yolk flow into to the avo and toast.

They’re only open until 3:00 PM, so if you want their food for dinner, the best option you have is takeaway. They also tend to be busy on weekends, which is when service tends to be slower. 

It will be better to dine on a weekday. This will allow you to enjoy the tranquillity of the riverside view as well.

Their prices are also pretty reasonable; they range from $11 to $25. I wouldn’t say the serving sizes are large, but they’re certainly enough for an individual serving.

This list wouldn’t be complete without Betty’s Burgers. It’s an easy pick for parents  because kids’ favourites like burgers, chips, and ice cream are all available here.

It’s a tad fancier than a fast-food restaurant but is visibly simpler than the other restaurants on this list. Their dining setup is small, and you may struggle to find seating, especially on weekends.

If you come in at a busy time, it’s likely your meal will take longer to arrive. We usually get meals served in around 10 minutes or so on regular days, but it can be double that on weekends.

However, they remain to be a family favourite because of their straightforward menu that my kids have no trouble choosing from. Their kids’ menu offers their regular menu items, albeit in a smaller serving size.

Their desserts and beverages are great as well. They have thick milkshakes priced at $8 and ice cream anywhere between $4 and $12, depending on the size.

There’s not much to expect from their presentation, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Their meals are straightforward but enjoyable, like their juicy burger with crisp veggies.

As a parent, I appreciate how they have the allergen information readily available on their website. This is especially helpful if you have a child with food allergies or sensitivities.

And lastly, they have multiple locations around Perth and Western Australia, but I chose this location for its accessibility to the centre. You can find a restaurant closer to you using their website; just place your postcode there.

Monty’s Cafe is another good option if you’re looking to dine near the water. While it isn’t exactly beachside, the ocean is just a few steps away from the restaurant’s front door.

The location is close enough that you can see the ocean and feel the sea breeze should you choose their outdoor seats.

They’re only open for breakfast and brunch up until 2:00 PM in the afternoon. Their menu is catered for these meals as well, with breakfast favourites such as avo toast, eggs Benedict, and fruit bowls.

They do offer dishes from other cuisines like nasi goreng and Thai chilli scramble, but I didn’t find the flavours to be particularly impressive. They didn’t taste close to the original dishes and can be a bit bland.

I recommend safe choices like their avo toast or French toast. The latter uses brioche, which allows the syrup to absorb deeper into the bread, giving it a pillowy texture once it melts in the mouth.

They have a good kids’ menu as well that comes with smaller servings, although items from their kids’ menu are served on plastic plates unless requested otherwise.

Some items on their kids’ menu include cheese toastie, eggs with toast soldiers, cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, and a baby tasting plate! The latter may not be the best for picky eaters, as it comes with avocado, cheese, and fruit.

Overall, it’s a great spot if you’re looking for somewhere to dine by Scarborough Beach.