Blondies owner Anne Turner missed the high quality and low-priced counter cafes native to her New Jersey home after moving south with her family in 2011. She decided to fill the void herself and opened Blondies Bagels and Café in late 2015. This Daniel Island gem welcomes patrons with wonderfully chewy bagels, spot-on soups and sandwiches, and lots of hot coffee. It is Daniel Island, so families are regulars at every restaurant. Sit side by side with your own kind, and leave the bottomless mimosa crowd at the door. These blondes have more fun.

Picky eaters rejoice! The Workshop has something for everyone: hotdogs and boiled peanuts from Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., noodle bowls from Pink Bellies, and the Juan Luis monster burrito, all in one place. With frequent live music, family nights and a turf field that permits pickup soccer games and alcoholic beverages but NOT mosquitoes, this area just might become your new go to spot. Pro parent tip: Bathroom diaper changing tables feature complimentary organic baby products, although the space can get a bit messy on weekends.

Dread dinnertime no more. Frothy Beard Brewing and Zombie Bob’s Pizza share an affinity for the epic, and the partners have gone similarly all-in to help parents make the best of what could be a dining nightmare. The brewery has a children’s’ corner complete with toys and games to corral your dough-eyed youngster. Zombie Bob’s menu also includes a “pizza-dilla,” (what it sounds like), wings, and King of Pops popsicles for dessert.

Each locale boasts its own kid-friendly cachet. Downtown includes a fenced-in gravel area with chalkboards; West Ashley has cornhole, as well as a takeout option – vital when faced with a tantrum-prone toddler or teenager; all three locations boast a kid’s menu with PBJ, quesadillas, and chicken fingers and table service includes the requisite coloring sheets and crayons. Pro parent tip: ambient noise factor is clutch at all three locations. Bring on the hooting and hollering.

This neighborhood pizza dive caters both college coeds with hangovers and South of Broad social climbers. With five kids between co-owners and brothers Nick and Ben, D’Al’s also keeps it real for families looking for a quick bite. Tiny patrons can play with their own dough, while parents take advantage of the beer specials. A family that pizzas together, stays together. Pro parent tip: If your dinner guests fly south quickly, D’Al’s makes it easy to switch from dine-in to takeout.

Sandboxes and a reconfigured vintage truck bed form the centerpiece of Coastal Crust food truck’s outdoor Neapolitan wood-fired pizza pie kid zone. Imagine Lord of the Flies without the necessity of killing your own dinner, add craft beer and wine, and you get the idea. Caution, for parents of runners and climbers: You might need to post an adult on the Coleman Boulevard side of the outdoor dining area to catch any mini MacGyvers looking to break out.

Enjoy a southern-style breakfast, down home diner lunch or seafood-centric dinner at the Marina Variety Store, an old-school local spot with magnificent views of the Ashley River off Lockwood. While seafood takes up a good part of the menu, there are still quite a few options for land lovers, including a chicken fingers, pancakes, or a turkey sandwich for the littles. Between boat and dolphin watching on the dock and the promise of chocolate cake for dessert, mealtime will fly by. Pro parenting tip: this is one of the more budget-friendly sit-down options on the peninsula and good choice for grandparents in the mood for a modest meal.

Ice cream shops are happy havens for children and adults alike, but the Sullivan’s Island Republic Ice Cream location takes this phenomenon one step further with Charleston Coffee Roasters brew and an indoor play area for the kids. You’ll have time to try all the samples and wait for a warm, homemade waffle cone. Pets are welcome too.

Thomas Smith opened his high-flying James Island sandwich shop last year with children in mind — literally: Smith’s daughter Henley inspired at least part of the restaurant moniker. Hen is frequently photographed enjoying her dad’s grilled cheese on the restaurant’s Insta page. But Smith does provide for the adults in the room, with fancy egg sandwiches, mouthwatering cinnamon rolls, a po’ boy, reuben, and muffalata; and titanic salads. The restaurant is clutter-free inside, and the outdoor patio is pet-friendly and relatively shielded from the hustle and bustle of Folly Road.

Famulari’s has kept it all in the family since brothers Jason and Justin opened the first location with two childhood buddies in Summerville ten years ago. All five locations feature vintage arcade games like Pac-Man and pinball. The James Island location has even more space, with shuffleboard, a patio and onsite brewery. Family dining has taken on a new meaning, as the Famulari brothers now have kids of their own. “We’re not Chuckie Cheese, but we love kids, and families have a great time here.”