little foodie

Patio season is here! It's time to soak up the Indiana sunshine, enjoy the long days, and make the most of warm evenings. Finding a spot where parents can relax and kids can be, well, kids, makes dining out so much easier. If you're looking for restaurants around Indianapolis that offer delicious food and great outdoor spaces perfect for the whole family, you're in the right place. Here's a roundup of must-try spots where you can enjoy a meal al fresco while keeping the little ones happy. Related Article: 100+ Things to do this Summer around Indianapolis Fun Restaurants Near Indianapolis Where Families Can Dine Outside This Summer: Baby's 2147 N. Talbott St., Indianapolis Why Parents Love It: Smash burgers, fried chicken, and milkshakes score high on the kid-approved scale. But the real game-changer? The fantastic, dedicated kids' play area right on the patio! It's a lifesaver while you wait for food or linger over your meal. They even provide magnet tiles to keep little hands busy at the table. Daniel's Vineyard 9061 N 700 W, McCordsville Why Parents Love It: Daniel’s Vineyard is a Geist hidden gem—the ultimate family destination. There are 22 acres of vines in their front yard and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the view. Enjoy pizzas, wines, and beers while your kids play games such as chess, bocce, cornhole, or just run around at the giant hill. The winery also hosts many weekly events such as concerts, line dancing lessons, and karaoke nights. Daniels Vineyard Field Brewing 303 E Main Street, Westfield Why Parents Love It: Sometimes, parents just need a great restaurant with great food and drinks, where their children can play close by. That's Field Brewing in a nutshell. This Westfield brewery has an amazing garden and outdoor patio seating, with an area where visitors can play bocce ball, giant Jenga, and just hang out on the artificial turf. Field Brewing Ford's Garage 13193 Levinson Lane, Noblesville Why Parents Love It: Car lovers will get a kick out of Ford's Garage, a decked out restaurant with Ford car parts and memorabilia. There are even real cars inside the restaurant! After your meal, walk outside of the restaurant and make a right, and you'll see an outdoor play area for kids, which is part of the Hamilton Town Center outdoor shopping mall. Ford's Garage Fork + Ale House 350 Veterans Way, Carmel Why Parents Love It: Fork + Ale House serves all the kid favorites: chicken tenders, burgers, and white mac and cheese. But it really shines because it's situated right in the center of Carmel's Midtown Plaza. During nice weather, choose to sit on Fork + Ale House's patio, and you'll be near the outdoor ping pong tables, pool tables and giant LED TV screen. Parents can enjoy their meal while the kids play! Half Liter BBQ 5301 Winthrop Ave., Indianapolis Why Parents Love It: Half Liter BBQ is a great place to bring your half-pints. Not only does this Broad Ripple restaurant serve up some of the best barbecue in Indianapolis, but there is a large outdoor seating area that is open, casual, and family-friendly. You can even play a game of cornhole while you're waiting for your food! And don't forget to get dessert after your meal, as Half Liter serves two kid favorite: Dippin' Dots and Rice Krispie Treats! Half Liter BBQ Iozzo's Garden of Italy 946 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis Why Parents Love It: A good restaurant for older kids, Iozzo's Garden of Italy has been serving up Italian-American classics in Indy for years. Iozzo's patio is magical around dinner time, when the twinkling lights sparkle, making the gorgeous fountain in the garden shimmer. Italian music softly playing adds to the ambiance. Iozzo's Garden of Italy Traders Point Creamery 9101 Moore Road, Zionsville Why Parents Love It: Traders Point Creamery is a working dairy farm that offers local ingredients at their farm-to-table restaurant. From April through October, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the farm property and visit with some of the Traders Point Creamery cows, chickens and other animals that call the Zionsville farm their home. And for dessert, kids will especially love that there's a Dairy Bar on site, where you can order freshly made ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and floats, which you can enjoy inside the restaurant or outdoors on the big patio. Traders Point Creamery Shin Dig 1351 Roosevelt Ave, Indianapolis Why Parents Love It: New to downtown Indy, Shin Dig is the ultimate place for a family outing if you are in the mood for pizza and wings. Although it has not been patio season since its opening in October of 2024, the outdoor space is soon to be one of the best in the city. Grab a game from inside and spend the day playing and eating!

little foodie

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Read Current Issue

Latest Articles

Things to Do This Weekend in Indianapolis with Kids (Oct. 24-26, 2025)

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Classic cartoons backed by a full symphony!

Win tickets to Butler Theatre’s ‘The SpongeBob Musical’!