24 Amazing Places to Eat with Kids in Mystic, CT
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Finding a place to eat while out with the kids isn’t always easy. If you find yourself on the beautiful Southeastern Connecticut shoreline, here are some of the best places to eat with kids in Mystic, CT.
This list of kid-friendly restaurants in Mystic will suit any diner. Whether you are looking for breakfast, a sweet dinner, or a nice night out with the whole family, we’ve got you covered.
If you are spending the day at the aquarium, there are plenty of kid-friendly restaurants near Mystic Aquarium.
Breakfast
Start the day off right with a delicious breakfast from one of the many breakfast places in Mystic. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you will find it in Mystic.
Somewhere in Time Cafe
Somewhere in Time is a little cafe located out of the way in Old Mystic and is a great stop for either breakfast or lunch. With modest prices and fairly standard fare, you won’t get any complaints from the little ones if you stop for a bite to eat.
You can find the Somewhere in Time Cafe at 3175 Gold Star Highway.
Kitchen Little
This great little breakfast joint has been in Mystic for many years, even if its location has changed once it outgrew its tiny location on the Mystic River, hence the name Kitchen Little.
While their location may be different, they still have a fantastic breakfast menu that you and your kids won’t want to miss.
You can find Kitchen Little at 36 Quarry Road.
Mystic Diner
Located across the street from Olde Mistick Village and convenient to hotels, the highway, Mystic Aquarium, and Mystic Seaport, the Mystic Diner might be just what you’re looking for.
You won’t find anything fancy on the menu, which might be exactly what you’re looking for if you’re dining with kids. You will find a nice selection of breakfast sandwiches, omelets, or pancakes that will fill you up for a day of exploring.
You can find Mystic Diner at 253 Greenmanville Avenue.
RISE
From Eggs Benedict to pancakes to egg sandwiches and more, RISE is another great family breakfast (and lunch) spot with something on the menu to please kids and adults alike.
You can find RISE at 10 Water Street.
Young Buns Doughnuts
Brought to us by the owners of Sift is Young Buns Doughnuts. If you’ve ever been to Sift, then you know why this is exciting. If you haven’t, you’re missing out, and now have places to add to your bucket list.
What kid doesn’t like donuts? They will thank you after a visit here.
You can find Young Buns in the heart of downtown at 46 West Main Street.
Pizza
Whether you’re in New Haven or another part of the state, Connecticut has some of the best pizza that you will find almost anywhere else.
Mango’s
If you are looking for the best pizza in Mystic, it is our humble opinion that Mango’s is where it’s at.
They serve up a thinner crust pizza closer to New Haven-style, whereas most other pizza you will find in the area is Greek-style; not that there’s anything wrong with that.
You can find Mango’s at 27 Coogan Boulevard; in the Olde Mistick Village near the duck pond.
Pizzetta
Eat-in, on the patio, or take-out. Pizzetta serves up delicious thin-crust pizza with unique toppings and specialty pizzas, as well as something for the kids.
You can find Pizzetta at 7 Water Street.
Angie’s Pizza
Angie’s has been a family-run Mystic staple for as long as we can remember. Their Greek-style pizza and grinder sandwiches (or subs if you’re not from southern New England) are great.
If you’d prefer to have a meal, the attached Pier 27 dining room has a full menu of Italian favorites.
You can find Angie’s Pizza at 25 Roosevelt Avenue.
Mystic Pizza
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the famous Mystic Pizza. I will be honest and tell you that they are not famous for having the best pizza in town, but it’s not bad, and they make good grinders. (Or subs if you’re not from Southern New England).
If you would like to see the place that inspired the name of the movie of the same name, then you might want to stop in just for fun.
You can find Mystic Pizza at 56 West Main Street.
Clam and Lobster Shacks
You can’t visit New England, especially the shoreline, without visiting a clam or lobster shack. It’s the quintessential New England experience.
Even if clams aren’t your thing, you can get a fish sandwich, a burger, or something else you will enjoy. A clam shack is as much about the experience as it is about the seafood.
Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough
If your kids like lobster, you can experience the pure joy of a Connecticut-style hot lobster roll at Abbott’s. If not, they have tuna and other non-lobster items on the menu.
If you are only familiar with cold lobster salad rolls that are more popular in northern New England, you won’t want to miss the pure bliss of hot lobster with hot drawn butter on a perfectly toasted roll.
You can find Abbott’s at 117 Pearl Street in Noank.
Sea Swirl
You will find Sea Swirl in two places on this list because they deserve to be noted for their whole belly fried clams and ice cream. Seriously, the best whole belly fried clams you will find in Mystic are at Sea Swirl.
If clams aren’t your thing, you can get burgers, dogs, sandwiches, New England clam chowder, and other casual, kid-friendly meals that won’t disappoint.
You can find Sea Swirl at 30 Williams Avenue.
Costello’s Clam Shack
If you want to get technical, Costello’s Clam Shack is located down the road from Mystic in the village of Noank, but it’s close enough to Mystic to make our list.
There is more than just clams on Costello’s menu, so if your kids would rather have a burger, hot dog, or chicken, they can.
A trip to Costello’s is especially if you want clams and someone in your group wants lobster because Costello’s is located on the water next to its sister lobster shack, Abbott’s.
You can find Costello’s at 145 Pearl Street in Noank.
Sea View
As the name Sea View implies, you will have fantastic views of the Mystic River, Mystic Seaport, and the drawbridge off in the distance.
This beautiful location is a great spot to stop for a bite to eat, like fried clams, burgers, and more. If you have enough room, grab an ice cream at Twister’s next door to complete the experience.
You can find Sea View at 145 Greenmanville Avenue.
Ford’s Lobster
Also located in Noank, Ford’s Lobster is another fantastic lobster shack with lots of charm. You may even recognize it if you’ve seen the movie Mystic Pizza.
Ford’s has a more upscale and varied menu than Abbott’s, so if you aren’t interested in just a lobster roll and some steamers, this is the place you want to go. They also have a kids’ menu.
You can find Ford’s Lobster at 15 Riverview Avenue in Noank.
Kids Mystic, CT Travel Planner
Get your kids involved in planning and organizing your trip to Mystic, Connecticut. This fun seven-page planner comes in two designs and includes the following:
- Planner with attractions, activities, kid-friendly restaurants, and where to find ice cream shops, bakeries, and candy shops.
- A blank planner page
- Fillable five-day travel itinerary sheet
- A two-page travel journal for kids to write about their trip
- A fun scavenger hunt to find iconic Mystic locations + and an answer sheet.
GET THE KIDS MYSTIC TRAVEL PLANNER FOR $5.97
Family-Friendly Dinners
There are a lot of fantastic places to eat in Mystic. Below are some of our favorites, but they are by no means a full list.
If your children are more adventurous eaters, you will have your pick of places to eat as most restaurants in town have a kids’ menu or at least some kid-friendly items on the main menu.
Dog Watch Cafe
Located just outside Mystic proper on the way to Stonington, Dog Watch Cafe is a popular restaurant with the locals and is a great choice if eating with kids.
They have a standard kids’ menu, and parents will enjoy their creative casual fare.
You can find Dog Watch at 20 Old Stonington Road and 194 Water Street in Stonington Borough.
Red 36
Located on the Mystic River, you can eat either inside or out on the deck at Red 36. The seafood is fresh, and their whole menu is as great as the atmosphere.
While it’s not advertised online, there is a kids’ menu.
You can find Red 36 at 2 Washington Street.
Go Fish
Located in the Olde Mistick Village, Go Fish is a higher-end restaurant you may want to visit if you’re looking for a full local seafood experience.
There is a good-sized kids’ menu, so your little ones will be happy while the adults enjoy a fantastic meal.
You can find Go Fish in their new location at 29 Old Stonington Road.
Engine Room
Known for its fantastic burgers and great atmosphere, Engine Room is another favorite with the locals.
While not advertised online, they do have a kids’ menu, so the whole family will find something here to make them happy.
You can find the Engine Room at 14 Holmes Street.
Grass & Bone
Serving up sandwiches, tacos, noodle dishes, and meat plates, there is something at Grass & Bone for everyone. They also have a standard kids’ menu.
You can find Grass & Bone at 24 East Main Street.
Margarita’s
Located in Factory Square, Margarita’s is a chain restaurant, so you might not get a taste of the local flavor here, but it’s a good place to go when eating with kids.
They have a good-sized kids’ menu and an easy, casual atmosphere.
You can find Margarita’s at 12 Water Street.
Sweet Treats
We love our ice cream in New England. You will find many great ice cream shops around the region, with several within a stone’s throw of each other in Mystic. You can’t go wrong either way.
If you aren’t in the mood for ice cream, head over to Sift Bake Shop for something amazing. You won’t be disappointed.
Sift Bake Shop
Sift is a must-stop while in Mystic. No, really. They have amazing baked goods like big cookies, fat brownies, buttery-flavored croissants, danishes, and so much more.
Their (hot or iced) lattes are also perfection.
You can find Sift Bake Shop at 5 Water Street.
Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream
Located right next to the bridge, Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream is the perfect stop for something sweet and cool. If you time it just right, you can watch the bridge go up from one of the best spots in town.
Even if you miss the bridge, you can stroll through downtown with delicious ice cream, and to us, that sounds like a perfect day. The only problem is trying to figure out which flavor to get.
You can find Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream at 2 West Main Street.
Twister’s Ice Cream
Conveniently located near the Mystic Seaport, Olde Mistick Village, and the Mystic Aquarium, it is a nice place to watch the boats go by on the Mystic River while enjoying either a hard or soft-serve cone.
If you have a meal at Sea View, the obvious next choice is to walk a few feet away and grab an ice cream cone from Twister’s.
You can find Twister’s Ice Cream at 135 Greenmanville Avenue.
Mystic Park Ice Cream
If you are watching the boats go by at Mystic River Park, now you can do it with an ice cream in your hand from Mystic Park Ice Cream, a new ice cream shop located right at the park.
You can find Mystic Park Ice Cream at 10 Cottrell Street.
Sea Swirl
Yes, Sea Swirl is on this list twice because they are just as worthy of a stop for a soft-serve ice cream cone as they are for their whole belly clams.
You can find Sea Swirl at 30 Williams Avenue.
Mystic Candy Shop
Small but perfectly located on the dock next to the drawbridge.
You will find many kinds of retro candies in this little candy shop you probably remember from childhood. Candy buttons, licorice rope, Big League Chew, you name it, they probably have it.
You can find Candy Shop at 10 Cottrell Street.
Final Thoughts
While it might seem like a daunting task to find a restaurant where the adults want to eat that won’t have the kids complaining, there are many options when looking for great places to eat with kids in Mystic, CT. that will please the whole family.
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