Lunchtime Fare
You will most likely eat lunch on the go. If you are touring one of the city's major museums, you should consider eating in its restaurant or cafeteria. Most major attractions, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, offer a good variety of kid-pleasing menu items. Because of security concerns, it is now almost impossible to bring food into a museum; all bags must be checked when you enter. There are plenty of dependable favorites if you are out and about in the city.
Hard Rock Cafe ($)
1501 Broadway (at West 43rd Street)
Times Square-West 42nd Street station (N, Q, R, S, W, 1, 2, 3, or 7 train)
212-343-3355
The Hard Rock has moved to Times Square, so it's a natural place to stop for lunch or dinner while sightseeing the crossroads of the world. Expect crowds on Friday and Saturday night, but it's pretty easy to get in at lunch time. Hard Rock is famous for its high-energy atmosphere, its unparalleled collection of rock memorabilia, and, of course, its ubiquitous T-shirts. You'll find a good selection of salads, sandwiches, and burgers here.
Some of the major department stores have truly exceptional dining experiences, and the food court at the Manhattan Mall offers quick, inexpensive victuals. If you don't want to eat inside, pick up picnic fare from the Whole Foods Market at the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle and head across the street to Central Park.
Mars 2112 ($-$$)
1633 Broadway at 51st Street
West 50th Street station (1 train)
212-582-2112
The décor is right out of Star Trek, with spaceship rides and aliens, and kids love it! Be prepared for a wait during busy hours, and don't be surprised if your kids don't want to leave. See the full listing on page 283.
Planet Hollywood ($)
1540 Broadway (at West 45th Street)
West 42nd Street-Times Square station (N, Q, R, S, W, 1, 2, 3, or 7 train)
212-333-7827
A nice lunch diversion during a busy midtown day, Planet Hollywood serves great wraps and burgers, and there is an excellent kids menu. You can also buy souvenir cups, magnets, and those popular baseball caps and T-shirts. See the full listing on page 284.
Jekyll and Hyde Club ($-$$)
1409 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) (between West 57th and West 58th streets)
West 57th Street station (F train)
212-541-9505
This four-floor horror-themed restaurant is like something out of Disney's Haunted Mansion. There's a show in the middle of the restaurant and a haunted elevator ride. Be warned: this place might frighten smaller children. You can take home the canteen in which your drink was placed. It's packed on weekend nights, but it's a good bet for lunch with pub food, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, pasta for the kids, and seafood, steaks, and more than 100 beers for the grownups. There is a second location in the Village at 91 Seventh Avenue (Christopher Street); Christopher Street-Sheridan Square station (1, 2, or 3 train); 212-989-7701.
New York's theme restaurants are destinations in themselves. The American Girl Place, Hard Rock Cafe, ESPN Zone, Jekyll and Hyde, Mars 2112, and Planet Hollywood all provide good food and children's menus. Who would ever want to return from New York without a Planet Hollywood New York T-shirt?
Uncle Nick's ($-$$)
747 9th Avenue (between 50th and 51st streets)
West 50th Street station (C or E train)
212-245-7992
This is a very nice midtown Greek restaurant with an impressive selection of enticing appetizers, grilled meats, and seafood. The extensive lunch menu is a good deal. The food is good, the setting is simple, and there's a lovely outdoor garden.
Silver Star ($-$$)
1238 2nd Avenue (between East 64th and East 65th streets)
East 68th Street station (6 train)
212-249-4250
Silver Star is a good, classic diner on the Upper East Side — but it tries to be a bit more creative than the standard. The result is an interesting menu with a good mix for every taste.
