By Missy E. Watts
 Take it from a mom of a very hungry, growing son, when our family goes out to eat we like to visit “kid-friendly” restaurants. When our son was smaller, we loved the reduced price items on the kid’s menus. Today, at the age of 12, he’s pretty much outgrown the smaller meal portions, but child-friendly restaurants still offer the right atmosphere for a very comical and talkative kid. We blend right in.
Below are just some of the “kid-friendly” restaurants in the Heritage Rivers region. The “favorite” items were selected based on comments from restaurant management and staff.
One parting piece of advice, if you are at a restaurant and they don’t hand you a kid’s menu, be sure to ask for one; it can help make your meal run a lot more smoothly.
CiCi’s Pizza
1072 Temple Avenue, Colonial Heights
(804) 524-0770
CiCi’s all-you-can-eat buffet is a great value, especially if you have really hungry children in tow. Kids 10 & under can watch the big screen TV or play arcade games and eat all they want at a reduced price from a buffet filled with all their favorites. Kids can earn a free buffet by participating in the “Feed Your Brain” summer reading program. (An adult buffet must be purchased.) Sheets to record their reading accomplishments can be picked up at participating CiCi’s restaurants.
Kid Favorite Dish: Macaroni & Cheese Pizza
Hardtack and Coffee Café at Pamplin Park
6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg
(804) 861-2408
The Café at Pamplin Park features a kid’s menu, plus a wide range of hot and cold items. Older kids may even decide to forgo the kid’s items for a specialty of the house, smoked BBQ. Looking for a different kind of birthday party? Pamplin Park offers two types of special Civil War themed parties. Admission to the park can also be purchased with special rates available for children 12 and under. For more information, visit www.pamplinpark.org.
Kid Favorite Dish: Chicken Nuggets
Rosa’s Italian Ristorante Pizzeria
4098 Oaklawn Boulevard
Hopewell
(804) 458-8744
Ever want to see a pizza being made? Kids can stand at a special window and watch as their pizza is made. Rosa’s offers a wide variety of items on the children’s menu including Italian and non-Italian food. A new twist? Rosa’s now serves breakfast each day of the week. A car show is also held every Saturday night.
Kid Favorite Dish: Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza
Piccadilly Cafeteria
76 South Park Circle
Colonial Heights
(804) 520-2048
The Piccadilly Cafeteria offers a variety of choices for adults and children alike. Special children’s menus are available for children 12 and under. Thursdays (all day) and Saturdays (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) are Kid’s Days where children’s meals cost even less. Piccadilly Pete is the mascot for the new kid’s club where children can obtain their own frequent diner card. After receiving eight stickers, kids have their choice of either selecting a stuffed animal or a card good for a movie rental at Blockbuster. Birthday parties are also available. For more information, check out www.piccadilly.com.
Kid Favorite Dish: Chicken Tenders & Corn Dogs
Shoney’s
5310 Oaklawn Boulevard, Hopewell
(804) 458-1237
Kids ten and under can join the Shoney Cub Club and receive a free birthday kid’s meal, and other surprises throughout the year. More information on the club can be found at www.Shoneys.com. Wednesday nights are Family Nights, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. where two children, ten and under, can eat free from the kid’s menu with every adult meal purchased.
Kid Favorite Dish: Chicken Nuggets
Friendly’s
2960 Boulevard, Colonial Heights
(804) 526-1840
Kids up to the age of 12 can eat off either of two children’s menus featuring a wide variety of food and ice cream choices. The menu features a variety of healthier side items including broccoli, mixed vegetables, mandarin oranges and corn.
Kid Favorite Dish: Chicken Nuggets
Kid Favorite Desert: Candy Shop Sundae for the younger ones & Make Your Own Three Scoop Sundae for the older children.
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