Best Kiama Restaurants: Our Top Three Toddler-Friendly Picks

Following a few trips to the South Coast, we narrow down the best Kiama restaurants that are also toddler-friendly. You will not skimp on the quality when dining in this cafe, hamburger joint, and pizzeria. 

Check out our other Kiama adventures:

Hike from Kiama to Gerrigong

Kiama Day Trip

JZ and I considered ourselves rather well-established foodies in the Charlotte restaurant scene. We generally knew which owners expanded their empire with a new bistro, or if a chef moved restaurants, and definitely memorized the weekly schedules of our favourite food trucks.

However, since we moved to Sydney, things are considerably different. I don’t know if it’s the overwhelming number of independently owned restaurants (compared to the almost inescapable chains in North Carolina), the fact that we have a child and never go out in the evenings, or just the densely populated yet sprawling city dotted with highly rated eateries. We have yet to fully explore our own suburb, much less venture further afield – although I do have a note in my phone completely dedicated to all the gelato spots I want to visit around the suburbs.

All that to say, we don’t talk about food here nearly as much as we enjoy it. However, I feel comfortable boiling down the food scene of Kiama’s lively, coastal town into a few recommendations for a couple of reasons:

1) I did my homework ahead of time to skip out on the more convenient (and touristy) options

2) The town is really quite small. You can walk along the coastal path and meander into another council without hardly noticing.

3) I didn’t include any of the numerous, highly rated Asian options because I never feel qualified to write reviews on dishes that I have only ever tasted once.

Top Three Best Kiama Restaurants (with a Toddler in Tow)

Hungry Monkey – Hands down, best burger we have eaten in Australia thus far. The burgers taste different in Sydney, less juicy is the main issue, but these burgers blew us away. To be fair, I actually got a veggie burger, which is very unusual for me. However, the high reviews for the Magic Mushroom Burger persuaded me.

Magic Mushroom Burger with Chips

For the record, the Magic Mushroom burger lived up to they hype! The perfectly toasted bun barely held in the piles of perfectly juicy, grilled Portobello with herbed ricotta cheese, sweet potato, and watercress. It was cheesy, filling, and insanely messy. Due to the fact that I need free hands to help maintain the integrity of CZ’s plate, I resorted to using a knife. John feasted on the Spicy Angus with a jalapenos infused patty, cheddar, and a chili tomato relish. When asked about his meal, he grunted favorably and gave a thumbs up.

Spicy Angus with Sweet Potato Chips

Milk and Honey cafe – JZ and I were a bit skeptical when we pulled up to this cafe attached to the visitor’s center. Because you really can’t get a much more touristy location! Our Aussie big breakfast and eggs Benedict did not disappoint in quality or size. The fluffy scrambled eggs were some of the best we have eaten. While not as artistic as Hungry Monkey, our plates overflowed with eggs, bacon, and a sizeable serving of vegetables. Side note: I will desperately miss the inclusion of vegetables in a normal breakfast when we return to the States.

The friendly owner chatted with us for a while, until the the dining room filled up – we timed our meal for 10 minutes after they opened. He was very friendly and accommodating, especially for families, of which there were several. He brought out crayons and paper for CZ to draw with, that she loved so much that we made a bit of a scene upon our departure. The cafe does become quite busy (on the weekends at least), so arriving early or not too hungry is a good move.

Olive and Vine – Following our epic 20km-plus walk along the coast, we returned to Kiama just in time for church. Before walking into evening mass JZ made a last-minute booking at Olive and Vine for 5:45. Luckily we are early bird eaters, due to the strict bedtime protocol, because the pizzeria was booked out. I heard from a few other people that making a booking for dinner is recommended at most places, especially during long/holiday weekends.

We settled into our 5:45 time slot with a minute to spare. The pizzeria was already half full with families at this point. I was initially concerned that it would be a bit too fancy for a vocal toddler, because of the white linen and glass, but with the music and being seated basically in a corner, I don’t think we were too disruptive. Again, the food did not disappoint. We ordered two pizzas and a salad to split between the three of us, which was a little too much. The pizzas were very good, although nothing outstanding for the price tag. The salad is where we were really impressed. The maple bacon salad with beetroot, baby greens, and pumpkin knocked our socks off. I love a sweet salad dressing, and the warm sweetness of the maple dressing coated the delicate leaves perfectly. We have to mention that the bacon served as more than just an afterthought. The salad was packed with several slices of bacon, which added smoky meatiness to each bite. (We neglected to take any photos at Olive and Vine, so please enjoy CZ munching on a chip at Hungry Monkey)

Bon Appetit!