Proper low-and-slow BBQ with burnt ends and brisket that families line up for, with portions to feed a table.
San Jose's breakfast institution: giant pancake stacks, a kids' menu, and the Willow Glen sidewalk scene.
Arcade and pizza birthdays, with unlimited-play game cards and the Kid Check hand-stamp safety system.
Three floors of Italian everything: fresh pasta counters, gelato, pizza, and kids' cooking classes, in a food hall where everyone picks their own dinner.
Local sandwich chain with a proper kids' menu (12 and under, comes with chips) and quick counter service. The reliable 'everyone finds something' lunch between activities.
Fast-casual sandwiches for picky and adventurous eaters alike, with a plaza outside where kids can run after.
San Jose's Italian-American institution since 1956, with red sauce and huge booths that fit a family of five plus a stroller.
A scratch-kitchen neighborhood restaurant in Willow Glen's orbit where kids eat free on Tuesdays, with a menu good enough for adults too.
A San Jose icon since 1966: order at the window, eat at picnic tables under a giant San Jose mural. The banana shakes get even falafel skeptics through the meal.
Counter-service Mexican famous for the orange sauce, with plain quesadillas for kids. Fast and loud.
Surf-themed local pizza chain (a dozen South Bay locations) with big slices, a spinning table at the Cambrian store, and a slice and a T-shirt deal.
Downtown food hall with a dozen-plus vendors around a big outdoor plaza: everyone picks their own food and still sits together, with live music and open space.
San Jose's pho institution: huge steaming bowls kids slurp happily, quick table turns, and easy prices for a family noodle night.
An eight-page kids' activity menu with crayons, stamps and temporary tattoos, so the wait for food goes by.
Orange-roofed walk-up stand that has served hot dogs and fries for generations, quick and casual.
