Albany Aquatic Center

Albany's community living room: a fenced tot lot with sandpit, a big-kid playground with a corkscrew slide and ADA swing, redwood shade, summer concerts, and Solano Avenue takeout two blocks away for an outdoor dinner.

Build-your-own Korean rice bowls on Solano that hand out kid chopsticks, kid bowls, and little smoothies.

Neighborhood Chinese restaurant where Renee herself greets regulars of all ages.

Deep dish is the headliner at this outpost of the Little Star family, though the thin crust holds its own. A consistent first pick with kids.

American grill meets British pub, with fish and chips, bangers and mash and shepherd's pie, and a chalkboard and toys marking off a kid zone.

North Indian and Pakistani cooking since 1999, known for its tandoori and curries, with oversized naan and paratha.