parent approved ✅
so you don't have to say "i'm sorry" solely with eye contact
this past weekend, my parents came into town for my dad’s birthday. they live upstate, and in the past 5 years have been more and more eager to come into the city more often. they’ve stayed in the same hotel in the same part of Tribeca for almost the entirety of that, and while I am happy they have found an area they are comfortable in, the food scene there leaves a lot to be desired.
my parents have extremely parental tastes – they want somewhere not too cramped, not too loud, with a menu they understand, without a wait, and ideally outside of the usual fare they have available upstate (i.e. red sauce italian or greek). while my dad will happily walk 7 miles no questions asked, my mother requires less walking, which means unless we have plans in another area, i am usually relegated to finding a meal for us in their food desert area of Chambers St. Tribeca or Soho/Noho. not the best, but certainly not impossible!
I once took them to Cervo’s, which hit actually zero of the above parental requirements and it was one of the most deeply scarring dinners of my life. my dad only ate the bread and my mom only had a drink because she claimed all of the food was too spicy…the bar seats were given had no backs! this meal has left me with the deep seated trauma necessary to build this list!
so here i figured i would share with you my favorite parent friendly places in the parent friendly zone! i would call it the zone of interest but i haven’t seen the movie and based on what i’ve heard, something tells me that isn’t going to land well…so we’re just going to call it the zone of comfort.
I will say, at least my parents stay downtown where there are more options. If your family chooses to stay uptown or god forbid, Times Square…good luck! I am not trying to see anything near Hell’s Kitchen except a good go-go dancer! Anyways, here are the restaurants that are parent and kid approved!
Minetta Tavern - my dad said all he wanted for his birthday was a really good burger, so that’s what I did. my dad whole heartedly approved the old school vibe of the restaurant and said his burger was 10/10 and that he would be back! everyone got the burger but me who got an excellent cod dish and two excellent vespre martinis. lastly, the service was amazing and they actually worked so hard to make my dads birthday special.
bonus points to whoever was on the reservations line who when asked that they don’t sing happy birthday to my dad replied “oh god no, this isn’t a texas roadhouse!”. i love you and it sure as hell wasn’t. <3
The Odeon - one of the few places my parents and I can always agree on! there is almost never a wait more than 15 minutes, there is plenty of room (see below) and heated outdoor seating, and something for everyone on the menu. its relaxed enough for the elders but cool enough for you. plus a martini so good that by your second one, you will forget what you were all arguing about.
The Dutch - pretty much all of Andrew Carminelli’s restaurants give off “places to go when your parents are in town” vibes. but this one is in the walking zone! It also gives the most casual and neighborhood kind of vibe that I love and think is a bit rare in Soho. The food is really better than it needs to be, and there is really something for everyone here. Its like The Smith if The Smith were good, and I mean that as a compliment! I’m a firm believer we need more restaurants in that genre, like Westville, etc!
Smyth Tavern - this one is the ultimate one for my parents because it is in their hotel. for them, convenience is key. however, for being the restaurant they want to default to when they’re not looking to explore, it’s pretty good! i’m a fan of the deviled eggs and the lobster pasta. i’ve also kept their happy hour in the back of my mind for future reference.
if I am eating here, I am usually tucking them in for the night after dinner and then going across the street to Primo’s for a nightcap!
Bubby’s - A post publishing addendum!
My dad was confused why I didn’t add Bubby’s. We’ve been going for years and they are one of his favorite biscuits in the city. (My dad lovessss a good biscuit, maybe more than me) I didn’t add it because TikTok has now made it impossible to go without a long wait, but it is still one of his favorites so I am adding it here at his insistence!
As usual, thanks for sticking around. Please like, share, subscribe, and all that good stuff! If you have your own parent friendly restaurant, please comment with it, because sharing is caring! and if you have parents that are happy with whatever restaurant you choose, kindly fuck off. just kidding…i think
as a sign off i’m having too much fun writing these and thankful for all of the compliments i have received on here, digitally, IRL. <3
xx
i really do stan type 1
“if you have parents that are happy with whatever restaurant you choose, kindly fuck off” so true my friend ❤️