Kid-Friendly: Seven Restaurants with Play Areas

Coffee and Cocktails — For the Whole Family

Placed between Jetisu Park and Baiterek Square in the Dara Residence complex, Cafellini is a three-story hybrid restaurant that perfectly embodies its name — come for a strong coffee in the morning and treat yourself to a bellini in the evening. The first two floors function as a daytime workspace and lunch spot, ideal for meetings or solo work sessions, transitioning into an evening cocktail bar.

The third floor is designed for family gatherings, featuring a two-level play area in soothing beige tones complete with a ball pit and cooking workshops. Young diners can enjoy bolognese, homemade dumplings, chicken cutlets, and wood-fired pizza from the children’s menu. Adults have their own refined options, including filet mignon with carrot purée and duck salad with pear, paired with a glass of white wine. The austere interior — wood, abundant natural light, plush seating, and city views — creates an ambiance reminiscent of a cozy evening in Rome, geography notwithstanding.

Italian Mama’s Cozy Home

Located along Astana’s «restaurant row», the two-story Mamma Mia brings authentic Italian warmth to the city. The decor features classic white tablecloths, olive-green accents, walls adorned with painted gardens and birds, and sturdy wooden furniture. The menu offers all the Italian staples, from bolognese and aglio e olio to paccheri with pork cheeks, tagliatelle with salmon, and a fish soup with sea bass and mussels served in a bread-topped pot.

The ground floor is entirely family-focused, with a play area featuring interactive tablets and regular cooking classes. The children’s menu, developed in collaboration with a nutritionist, cleverly incorporates vegetables into kid-friendly formats — cauliflower-enriched mashed potatoes, soups with meatballs and vegetable balls, and perfectly sized mini-pizzas for small hands.

Post-Circus Lunch Break

Just a short walk from the Astana Circus, Cappuccino provides the ideal setting for a relaxed family meal after a show. The ground floor operates as a traditional café with a pastry display and busy coffee bar, while the upper level transforms into a family-friendly space with a dedicated play area and comfortable honeycomb-shaped nooks perfect for reading or quiet time with a tablet.

The restaurant’s all-day breakfast offerings are particularly noteworthy, with the generously portioned «Moscow» set including buckwheat with apples and vanilla cream, syrniki, turkey-potato waffles, and coffee or tea. For younger guests, the creative kids’ menu features colorful pasta, bite-sized burgers, and alphabet-shaped french fries that children can arrange to spell their names before eating.

Non-Stop Celebration

Hailing from Moscow and located on the second floor of Talan Gallery adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton, Ribambelle offers a multifaceted dining experience divided into distinct zones — a common area, two spacious VIP lounges for birthday parties, art studios, and play areas. The bright, cheerful interior incorporates yellow columns, vividly colored chairs, and a cloud-patterned ceiling.

The play area is thoughtfully segmented by age groups. Toddlers under three enjoy a dedicated space with ball pits, an interactive play kitchen, and educational games, while children aged four to twelve can explore an elaborate mini-city complete with slides, tunnels, and climbing structures to run through, climb, and explore. The restaurant’s professional event team specializes in creating memorable birthday celebrations, handling everything from themed decorations to custom scripts.

The sophisticated menu presents carefully curated selections with no more than five items per section, like Tuscan sardine-tomato salad, penne arrabbiata with stracciatella, and duck confit with grilled cabbage and truffle sauce. Younger diners have their own options, including salmon cutlets, homemade chicken dumplings, penne with chicken in creamy tomato sauce, and everything else they need to keep up with their parents.

Farm to Table

Nestled in the center of the Right Bank, Uno focuses on farm-fresh ingredients and straightforward, well-executed flavors. The space features wood, natural textiles, abundant greenery, and a lot of air. An inviting dessert counter showcases cinnamon rolls, homemade cookies, and pistachio roll inviting visitors to start their meal with simple carbs. But it’s not that simple, so be patient and pick your spot.

The right side features a bar area perfect for evening wine tastings, while the left side offers a family-friendly space with a play area — and a slide! Saturdays bring pizza-making workshops where children receive aprons, dough, tomatoes, and cheese to create their own first handmade pizzas.

The farm-to-table philosophy shines in dishes like house-made burrata with tomatoes, quail served with root-vegetable porridge, rabbit dumplings, and slow-cooked lamb goulash. The children’s selection includes comforting favorites such as chicken noodle soup, potato-mushroom dumplings, and sweet potato fries dusted with parmesan — everything homemade, but with a restaurant touch.

Dinner at Grandma’s

From the creators of Kuzina and Marcello, Zina by The Chef Group resides in a charming location near the Presidential Park, featuring a cozy terrace and radiating the warmth of a grandmother’s home through its embroidered napkins, patterned armchairs, walls and floors adorned with carpets. The intimate, slightly theatrical atmosphere complements a menu that ranges from tofu steak to classic dressed herring salad.

While there’s no formal children’s menu, the kitchen is always ready to fix a comforting plate with chicken noodle soup, cutlets, mashed potatoes, or Olivier salad for younger guests. After a good meal, children can explore the indoor play house or outdoor terrace area and enjoy sliding and running around only coming back for a slice of pizza or French fries — while adults linger over tea and delicate Pavlova.

Pan-Asian with a Play Area

This Siberian import has successfully established itself in Astana’s family dining scene with its minimalist, almost sterile two-story space that puts the focus squarely on bold, texture-rich, spicy flavors while remaining surprisingly child-friendly.

The upstairs features a glass-enclosed play area allowing parents to dine while keeping an eye on their children. The bento-style kids’ menu offers customizable plates with options like breaded shrimp and chicken, potato wedges, and vegetables to suit various tastes. Adult diners can explore the signature five-spice-level tom yum soup, build their own wok bowls with a selection of bases, addons, and sauces for everyone, or choose from an array of tartares, rolls, spring rolls, noodles and fried rice.

Photoes: restaurants’ websites and social media; Yandex Maps