Family-Friendly Restaurants in Surrey: Places to Eat with Kids
We’ve eaten out with the boys since they were little, so over the years we’ve tried quite a few family-friendly restaurants in Surrey.
They’ve always been pretty good eaters too. Even when they were younger, they’d quite often choose something from the adult menu rather than the usual chicken nuggets and chips (although there have definitely been plenty of those over the years too!).
Now they’re older, what we look for has changed a bit. We’re less bothered about colouring sheets and children’s portions these days and more interested in somewhere relaxed, with plenty of choice and food that two hungry teenagers will actually want to eat.
Most of the restaurants below are places we’ve visited ourselves over the years, and you can click through to our original reviews too. I’ve also added a few other family-friendly restaurants around Surrey that look worth knowing about, particularly for families with younger children.
Last updated: September 2026. Restaurants change menus, opening hours and sometimes disappear altogether, so it’s always worth checking directly before making a special journey.
Family-friendly restaurants in Surrey we’ve tried
The Spring Tavern, Ewell
The Spring Tavern in Ewell is a lovely one if you want somewhere that feels a little nicer than your standard family pub, but where you can still happily take the kids.
When we visited, the boys had plenty of choice and they were happy to adapt one of the dishes when one of them wanted prawns added to his linguine. Dave and I went for things like rib-eye steak, pork belly and scallops, while the Sunday roast was another winner.
It’s one I’d consider for a family Sunday lunch or if you’re celebrating something and want somewhere that feels a bit more special.
Location: Ewell
Read our Spring Tavern review →
The Thames Court, Shepperton
One of the nicest things about The Thames Court is its riverside setting. It’s especially lovely when the weather’s good and you can combine lunch with a walk along the Thames.
We’ve eaten here as a family and found the children’s meals good value, with activity sheets for the boys and plenty of choice for us too.
For me, it’s the location that makes this one worth knowing about, especially if you want to turn lunch into more of an afternoon out.
Location: Shepperton
Read our Thames Court review →
Giggling Squid, Kingston
Giggling Squid has always worked well for us because the boys were quite adventurous with food, even when they were younger.
The children’s menu is a nice way of introducing kids to Thai food without having to order a huge dish they might decide they don’t like after one mouthful! When we visited there were things like massaman curry, Pad Thai and skewers, while we ordered a selection of dishes to share.
We’ve been to the Kingston restaurant, but there are other Giggling Squid restaurants around Surrey too, so it’s worth checking if there’s one closer to you.
Location: Kingston upon Thames
Read our Giggling Squid Kingston review →
The White Hart, Godstone
The White Hart in Godstone is another nice one for a family meal, especially if you want a pub that feels a little bit special without being too formal.
When we visited, there was a dedicated children’s menu and activity sheets, with things like pasta and pizza for the boys. There was plenty for us to choose from too – and I still remember the rather impressive dessert sharing board!
It’s also handy if you’re spending the day around this part of Surrey, particularly if you’re visiting somewhere like Godstone Farm.
Location: Godstone
Turtle Bay, Staines
Turtle Bay is worth a look if your kids are happy trying something a little different.
We liked the colourful, relaxed atmosphere when we visited and the Caribbean menu made a nice change from the usual family restaurant choices. There were lots of different flavours for us to try, while we could still find things that worked for the boys.
It’s lively rather than quiet too, which I always found made eating out with kids that little bit easier!
Location: Staines-upon-Thames
Read our Turtle Bay Staines review →
The Retreat, Staines
The Retreat is another relaxed pub option in Staines.
When we visited, having a garden was particularly useful with younger kids because they could get outside rather than having to sit at the table for the whole meal. There was a good mix of children’s choices alongside burgers and pub classics for us.
It’s a good one for a relaxed pub meal, especially when the weather’s nice enough to make use of the garden.
Location: Staines-upon-Thames
Bill’s, Kingston
Bill’s has always been an easy family option because there’s plenty of choice and it doesn’t feel too formal.
The Kingston restaurant also has the bonus of being right by the river, so it’s handy for lunch or dinner if you’re spending the day in Kingston.
When we visited, macaroni cheese went down particularly well with the boys, as did the ice cream sundaes and brownies. My Melting Chocolate Bombe wasn’t exactly unpopular either!
Location: Kingston upon Thames
Read our Bill’s Kingston review →
Poor Boys, Kingston
Poor Boys is a little different from most of the restaurants on this list, serving New Orleans-inspired food close to the river in Kingston.
We ate here after taking a boat trip from Kingston, and it worked really well as part of our day out. Think huge po’ boy sandwiches, shrimp, chicken, fries and milkshakes – and portions that mean it’s probably best not to get too carried away when you’re ordering!
It’s really relaxed too, and I think this is one that works particularly well once the kids are a bit older.
Location: Kingston upon Thames
Read about our lunch at Poor Boys →
Worth travelling a little further for
Cinnamon Kitchen, Battersea
Okay, so Battersea isn’t actually in Surrey, but I’m keeping Cinnamon Kitchen in here because we’ve eaten there ourselves and it’s easy enough to get to from our part of Surrey.
It’s underneath the railway arches close to Battersea Power Station and serves modern Indian food, so it’s a bit different from your usual curry.
We tried a mixture of dishes including ribs, aubergine and lamb curry. I’d say this is another one that works particularly well with older kids and teens who are happy trying different things.
Location: Battersea, London
Read our Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea review →
More family-friendly restaurants in Surrey to try
The restaurants above are all places we’ve eaten ourselves, but there are obviously plenty more family-friendly restaurants around Surrey.
We haven’t personally tried the five below yet, so these aren’t recommendations in quite the same way as the restaurants above. I’ve included them because they have something that looks genuinely useful for families – things like play areas, big gardens, children’s menus and easy parking. They also fill in a few areas of Surrey that aren’t really covered by our own restaurant reviews.
As always, I’d check the restaurant’s own website before you go, particularly if you’re visiting because of a play area or children’s menu as things can change.
The Cock Inn, Headley
The Cock Inn near Epsom and Leatherhead looks like a good one if you’ve got younger kids, especially when the weather’s nice.
There’s a large garden with a children’s playground and climbing frame, which immediately makes lunch a bit easier if you’ve got children who don’t particularly fancy sitting at a table for hours.
There’s free parking too, which is always handy.
Best for: Younger kids who’ll make good use of the playground.
The Star, Leatherhead
The Star in Leatherhead is another one that seems to have actually thought about families rather than just sticking a children’s menu on the website.
There’s an outdoor children’s playground, gardens and a dedicated children’s menu, as well as highchairs and baby-changing facilities. There’s free parking too, and some of the outdoor areas are covered and heated.
Best for: Younger children, especially if you’re looking for somewhere with a proper play area.
Worplesdon Place, Guildford
Worplesdon Place is set in around two acres of grounds overlooking a lake, so there’s loads more outdoor space than you’d get at your average restaurant.
The big draw for families is the fenced children’s play area, along with a children’s menu, garden and on-site parking.
This is one I’d have definitely appreciated when the boys were younger – somewhere they could get up and have a run around rather than us spending the whole meal telling them to sit down!
Best for: Family lunches and kids who’d much rather be outside playing.
Glasshouse Kitchen at RHS Garden Wisley
This one’s a little different because Glasshouse Kitchen is inside RHS Garden Wisley, so you’re probably not going to head there just for lunch.
It does have something quite unusual though – an indoor soft-play area for under-fives – as well as family-friendly food including pizza and pasta.
If you’re already having a day out at Wisley with younger kids, it’s definitely useful to know it’s there. Just check the current garden admission and restaurant arrangements before you go.
Best for: Families with younger children visiting RHS Garden Wisley.
The Beehive, Reigate
The Beehive in Reigate is another relaxed pub that’s geared up for families. There’s a dedicated children’s menu, children’s options for Sunday lunch and a good-sized garden.
They also run family dining offers from time to time. I wouldn’t plan a visit around one without checking first though, as these sorts of offers do tend to come and go.
Best for: An easy family pub lunch or Sunday roast around Reigate.
Family-Friendly Restaurants in Surrey FAQs
Where are the best family-friendly restaurants in Surrey?
There are family-friendly restaurants all over Surrey, so it really depends on what you’re looking for. We’ve eaten at places in Kingston, Ewell, Shepperton, Staines and Godstone, while there are plenty of other options around Guildford, Reigate and Leatherhead too.
For younger kids, somewhere with a garden or play area can make life much easier. With older kids and teens, we tend to look more at the menu and whether there’s enough choice to keep everyone happy.
Which Surrey restaurants are good for teenagers?
We’ve found that places with plenty of choice work better than worrying about whether there’s a traditional children’s menu once they get older.
Giggling Squid, Poor Boys and Turtle Bay are all places we’ve tried that offer something a bit different, and I’d happily consider them with older kids and teens.
Do I need to book family restaurants in Surrey in advance?
We generally do, especially at weekends, for Sunday lunch and during the school holidays.
I’d also have a quick look at the current menu before you go if you’ve got younger children or anyone particularly fussy to feed. We’ve learnt that one the hard way over the years!
More Surrey family ideas
If you’re planning a whole day out rather than just somewhere to eat, you might also like:
- Things to do in Surrey with kids
- Indoor activities in Surrey for kids and teens
- Free days out in Surrey with kids
- Go karting in Surrey
Eating out with kids definitely gets easier as they get older, although apparently it also gets considerably more expensive!
We’ve gone from checking whether restaurants have children’s menus and colouring sheets to checking whether there’s enough food to feed two hungry teenagers. I’ll keep adding to this guide as we find new places around Surrey that are worth going back to.
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