Q: Summer is dragging on, and I'm running out of things to do with the kids. What are your top five kid-friendly places? —Cindy B., University City
A: You asked for five? Looks like it's gonna be a long, hot summer. Let's make it 25.
Restaurants:
Adriana's - One of the monster sandwiches will easily fill up two kids. At about $8.50/per, you do the math.
Baileys' Range - A boatload of burgers, a shipload of shakes, and visuals as far as the eye can see
Cafe Manhattan (2 locations) - Better-than-average thin-crust pizza and t-rav's that will blow your mind
Carl's Drive-In - The cheeseburgers and homemade root beer are so good together, it's the only way they should come.
Cheese-ology - Proven fact: Mac & cheese appeals to kids of all ages.
Cyrano's - Challenge your kid to eat an entire Cleopatra. No, check that.
Dr. Jazz Soda Fountain (2 locations) - This ice cream parlor and diner is the perfect place to host a birthday party.
Fitz's - The place in town for a float—root beer is only the beginning.
Fountain on Locust - Move along now...nothing to see here (except teeny-tiny sundaes, super-small cones, and a restroom voted "America's Best").
Frank & Helen's - Proceed with caution: Fried chicken here is so good that mom's may never measure up.
JJ Twig's - Three (or so) words: Double-decker thin-crust pizza
Jennifer's Pharmacy - Sandwiches like mom makes, only better...and shake flavors that mom never makes.
Jilly's Cupcake Bar & Cafe - Nobody can leave here without a "'cake."
Joe's Chili Bowl - Grab a hot dog or some chicken tenders and head for the "spray plaza" at CityGarden.
Pi- Kirkwood - Pro-Pi-etors Chris Sommers and Frank Uible will prove to your kids (and to you) how well pizza and milk shakes go together.
Red-L Pizza - Salads and thin-crust pizza, plus several on-site picnic tables. Or take it to-go and picnic at nearby Tilles park.
Velvet Freeze - Old-time ice cream parlor and the last VF in existence, plus penny (well, it used to be penny) candy
Ya Ya's - A "nice"—but kid-friendly—restaurant, the perfect place to teach them table manners.
Treats:
Colleen's Cookies - Great cookies, sure, and now 14 flavors of ice cream sandwiches made from them.
Daily Bread - During July, the DB celebrates its Blueberry Festival—pies, struedels, tarts, crumb cakes. One more reason to go there.
Oh! Lolli Lolli - Good golly, Miss Molly, there's a lotta candy crammed into that tiny shop.
Tropical Moose (2 locations) - Where a buck buys a snowcone and two buys a Walkaway Waffle. TroMo is a gem.
Road Trip:
Fin Inn (Grafton) - The booths here have aquariums where 100-year-old loggerhead turtles keep you company.
The Blue Owl (Kimmswick)- It's worth the drive for just one slice of the Levee High Apple Pie (one of Oprah's Favorite Things).
The White Cottage (Belleville) - A complete, throwback diner-style restaurant, one that makes its own ice cream. Tackle the "Pig Trough" if you dare.
