The best kid-friendly pubs in Auckland: Playgrounds, pizza, pints & more!
Keen to let the kids play whilst you relax? Join us as we share the very best kid-friendly pubs in Auckland!
Auckland has an array of amazing restaurants to choose from! However, there is nothing like the draw of a family-friendly pub to excite parents and children alike.
We have compiled a list of our top kid-friendly pubs in Auckland to help you plan your next family outing.
All of our favourite pubs have sizeable kids’ menus to delight even the fussiest of eaters and to fill them to the brim with pub meal goodness. And as an added bonus, they also have amazing playgrounds to cater to all your family dining needs!
Keep your kids truly entertained for more than five minutes so you can eat using both hands.
Wouldn’t that be a nice change?
Join us as we share three of the best child-Friendly Pubs in Auckland. Each and every one of them is worth going out of your way to enjoy!
The Best Kid-Friendly Pubs in Auckland – Each with Their Own Playgrounds!
Each of our favourite family-friendly Auckland pubs goes out of its way to entertain your little ones. So much so, that they each have their very own playground!
The Benefits of Playgrounds
If you’re a parent, I’m sure we don’t really need to tell you the benefits of having a playground within easy reach.
Playgrounds are great for keeping your kids entertained!
They also have the added benefit of providing your children with opportunities to stimulate their cognitive, social and physical development. Children learn amazing things through play. This can include making new friends and sharing and interacting with other children.
Feel great about heading to the pub and letting your kids run wild with developmental abandon!
So sit back, relax, and grab a beer-tasting paddle. All whilst your kids are entertained and burn up an appetite.
The following are our absolute favourite, tried-and-tested kit-friendly pubs in Auckland.
Little Creatures Brewery: One of the Most Kid-Friendly Pubs in Auckland
Craft beer-loving parents unite! Our first pick for kid-friendly pubs in Auckland that have a playground is Little Creatures Brewery!
Hailing from Western Australia, Little Creatures was born when a few Aussies had the desire to master the perfect American pale ale.
Little Creatures, named after the live yeast cultures present in their famously hoppy pale ale, is a family-friendly establishment catering for all ages, young and small.
The Little Creatures Brewery Playground
The playground at Little Creatures is indoors so you won’t have to wrestle your little ones to wear a hat or marinade them in sunscreen.
Doesn’t that already sound like a winning idea?
The indoor kids’ entertainment area keeps your little ones contained behind a gate, so you really can put your feet up for a while. It also features a large wooden climbing structure AND a rowboat. Fun times!
Dining at Little Creatures
Little Creatures is actually made up of three different restaurants, allowing you to choose from three different cuisines. Something is sure to entice the whole family – young and small included. This includes ‘Saltys’ (fish and chips), ‘Little Creatures’ (share plates, burgers and larger meals) and ‘Kittyhawk’ (delicious Italian food).
Related: The best burgers in Auckland.
Related: The most unique burgers in Auckland.
The pub also features a Havana coffee roastery, and last but not least, the Little Creatures brewery with five fermenters, two beer tanks and a cellar door to get some tasty take-home beer.
Coffee, yummy food and beer? What more could any sleep-deprived parent ask for?
Prepare for an Awesome Child-Friendly Day Out
If you’re keen for an early morning boost while your kids have a play, the Havana coffee roastery and playground are open from 8 am during the week and from 9 am on the weekends.
Little Creatures is located in a former boat hanger in the Catalina Bay precinct at Hobsonville Point. This kid-friendly pub is conveniently perched on Hobsonville Point Wharf.
This means you can ferry in from downtown Auckland, and try a few tasty brews while your kids burn some energy, before ferrying home again.
What a perfect way to keep your kids entertained for the whole day.
Little Creatures prides itself on being a place that is part of its community. They aim to provide their customers with an experience that makes them feel part of the Little Creatures family and that’s exactly the sense you’ll get.
Little Creatures Brewery is great for the whole family. You can even bring your dog!
Pro tip: Head over to Little Creatures on the weekend and explore the Catalina Bay Farmer’s Market located right next door.
Little Creatures: Everything You Need to Know
- Distance from Auckland CBD to Little Creatures: A 25-minute drive from Central Auckland or a 40-minute ferry trip.
- Address: 2 Boundary Road, Hobsonville, Auckland.
- Playground features: Located indoors with a large wooden structure, rowboat and more.
- Menu choices for kids: Fish and chips, pizza, chicken schnitzel, chocolate cake, and other desserts.
- Website: https://littlecreatures.co.nz/
- Contact number: 09 416 4416
- Opening hours:
- Little Creatures, Salty’s and Kittyhawk are all open Monday to Friday from 12 pm until late.
- On the weekend they’re open from 11 am!
- The Havana coffee roastery and playground are open from 8 am during the week
- and from 9 am on weekends.
- Parking: There is plenty of car parking available at the front entrance.
The Postman’s Leg – Another of the Best Kid-Friendly Pubs in Auckland
Next up on our list of the best kid-friendly pubs in Auckland is the Postman’s Leg in Glenfield on Auckland’s North Shore!
The Postman’s Leg is an iconic family-friendly gastropub and, you guessed it, they do a great job of entertaining little ones.
This pub is named after a local Glenfield amputee who fashioned a harness for his horse and became the local postman for 16 years. He was a bit of an icon and unsurprisingly, the same can be said for the pub itself.
Not only is it a lovely spot to relax, but they have a fantastic range of food and beer.
Really, could you ask for more?
How the Postman’s Leg Looks After their Smallest Patrons
The Postman’s Leg is fully fenced and has a large covered deck and a massive courtyard.
The courtyard has plenty of seating with nice big shady umbrellas that conveniently overlook the massive outdoor playground!
The huge playground at the Postman’s Leg will keep your toddlers and kids entertained for hours in all its playground glory. It features a wooden play structure with slides (yes, there are multiple slides!), a shade-sail-covered sandpit filled with toys and a trampoline too!
There is even pétanque and colouring-in on offer, to keep both kids and parents happy.
Kai Time
The Postman’s Leg has an extensive kids’ menu with a list of over nine mains for the kids to choose from. The vast kids’ menu includes chicken, pizza, pasta and ribs, with the option to swap fries for veggie sticks or slaw.
There is even a list of kids’ treats to choose from including ice cream, floats and sundaes!
For the adults, there’s a fantastic fresh menu that pairs perfectly with their beer, cocktail and mocktail offerings.
The Postman’s Leg is a vibrant take on a family-friendly gastropub that is fun for the whole family.
And yep, you guessed it, this includes your dog.
Pro tip: The Postman’s Leg often has live music in the courtyard to enjoy while your kids play on the playground. Because of this, we suggest you plan to visit with plenty of time.
The Postman’s Leg: Everything You Need to Know
- Distance from Auckland CBD to the Postman’s Leg: A 15-minute drive from Central Auckland
- Address: 43-51 Downing Street, Glenfield, North Shore, Auckland
- Playground features: Two slides, a wooden playground a trampoline and a sandpit
- Menu choices for kids: Lots of options including chicken, pizza, pasta and ribs with the option to swap fries for veggie sticks or slaw
- Website: https://joylab.co.nz/the-postmans-leg/
- Contact number: 09 444 7325
- Opening hours: Every day from 11 am until late
- Parking: There is plenty of car parking available at the front entrance.
Hallertau Riverhead Brewery & Biergarten – Our Final Kid-Friendly Pub in Auckland
Last but definitely not least on our list of family-friendly pubs in the City of Sails the is Hallertau Brewery and Biergarten in Riverhead.
Hallertau is a wonderland for kids and parents alike. They manage to combine the best in locally-produced food, with an awesome drinks menu and plenty to do for younger family members.
It’s a winning combination in anyone’s books.
Keeping the Kids Entertained at Hallertau
Hallertau features a huge outdoor play area with a playground, a rock-climbing wall, giant Jenga and Connect-Four setup, along with colouring to entertain the kids.
There are even free-roaming brewery chooks that are said to hiccup rather than cluck.
It’s so much fun!
Devine Pub Grub & Drinks
Hallertau has a range of meals that cater for all ages and all times of the day. They do an especially good job of looking after the little ones.
Hallertau use fruit and vegetables from their own kitchen garden, they bake their own bread and also make their own sauces. Even their eggs are laid by their hiccuping chickens!
The ‘Little Hoppers’ kid’s menu is extensive. It features red capsicum & tomato spaghetti, fish fingers, toasted ham & cheese on pide bread and little panko-crumbed chicken burgers.
The kids’ dessert menu is just as impressive and includes the option to build your own super sundae!
Conveniently, for thirsty parents, Hallertau has an extensive beer list full of big craft beer hoppy goodness.
If you can get someone to hold your baby, you can even see what happens behind the scenes with a guided brewery tour. By the end, you’ll know exactly what goes into making Hallertau craft brews so tasty.
This family-run establishment is a delight for families and will keep your kids entertained for ages while you sit back and enjoy a tasty brew! As an added bonus, Hallertau often has live music on the weekends and, you’ll be interested to know that it’s located just around the corner from the classic Riverhead Tavern.
Did somebody say ‘weekend pub crawl’?
Pro tip: Head to Hallertau Riverhead when it opens to make sure you get parking and a table as it fills up quickly! There is often a line to get in around lunchtime on the weekends.
Hallertau Riverhead: Everything You Need to Know
- Distance from Auckland CBD to Hallertau Riverhead: 20-minute drive
- Address: 1171 Coatesville Riverhead Hwy, Riverhead, Auckland
- Playground features: Playground, a rock-climbing wall, colouring, giant Jenga and Connect Four
- Menu choices for kids: Spaghetti, fish fingers, ham and cheese toastie, chicken burger and build your own super sundae!
- Website: https://www.hallertau.co.nz/
- Contact number: 09 412 5555
- Opening hours: Lunch, dinner and all-day grazing
- Monday – Tuesday 12 pm – 9 pm,
- Wednesday to Friday 12 pm – 10 pm
- Weekends 11 am – 10 pm
- Parking: There is free onsite car parking available at the front entrance or on the street. It does get busy so head there early!
And there you have it, three of the very best kid-friendly Pubs in Auckland.
Each and every one of our favourites serves up delectable fresh food alongside a superb drinks menu, and best of all, they’ve got plenty of provisions in place to help engage and entertain the kids.
Don’t make do with a normal pub lunch, where all parents know, it’s likely to be anything but relaxing for mum and dad.
Instead, pop along to one of the aforementioned Kiwi pubs and enjoy a day out that everyone will enjoy!
