There are three reasons why Madison Park's Independent Pizzeria is the last place anyone should eat with children. First, there are only a handful of tables, so expect a wait. Second, the service may be friendly, but it can be slow. Third, there is little room to roam, so unless your kids enjoy staying strapped to their seat or glued to their iPad, things are going to get messy.

Now that that's out of the way, there are two reasons why those first few don't matter in the slightest. First, it's nearly summer in Madison Park, and the beach is a stone's throw from said pizza shop's front door. Second, Independent's pizza is a cheesy balm that can soothe toddler crankiness, teen poutiness, and general parental exasperation.

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Harley Soltes

Shall I eat you? Or destroy you?

Ballard resident Joshua McNichols is an architect turned journalist that embodies the grow-everything-you-eat movement. A regular public radio contributor, he's co-written The Urban Farm Handbook. The recently released title explains everything from grinding grain to finding local butchers ready to slaughter your whole cow and pig. The father of two, he knows more than a few tricks to get kids into growing and eating real food, too. Like good, old-fashioned bribery.

How do you think urban farming will look in ten years? Will the trend stick and settle into a long-term lifestyle, or is it in danger of dissipating?
There will always be acolytes of urban farming, even if those people represent only a niche movement. Understanding how food is grown will always be important to those who care about cooking, and many such people live in cities. There have been spikes of interest, but when observed over decades, interest in fresh, local food has grown steadily since Alice Waters first popularized it, to the point that you can now buy organic produce at Wal-Mart. Even if the wave of interest in urban farming recedes as the economy recovers, I believe this generation has experienced a connection to food it cannot forget, just as my grandfather knew the value of a dollar, having lived through the Great Depression.

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Silencing the bear.

It's not hard to find Midwestern transplants living in Seattle. Just ask, and a lot of Space Needle elevator operators, dog walkers, and Zumba instructors will admit to having relocated to the Great Northwest from Grand Rapids, Dayton, or Milwaukee. Here's a basic stereotype about Midwesterners that's often spot on--if they're going to be nice, they're going to be nice to everybody. Not just to adults, but typically to children, and usually to animals. And while there's something distinctly Seattle about the aesthetic of The Dish on Leary Way, it's pretty easy to imagine sister versions of the place in Indiana or Ohio.

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Like a record needle stuck in a groove so that the word "annoy" plays on repeat for minutes on end, the kid palate gets caught on certain foods from time to time. Taco. Taco. Taco. Burrito. Burrito. Burrito. If you're a parent, be prepared for this very scenario to play out at least occasionally over the years. Be ready with a short list of universally passable wallet-friendly restaurants that serve unapologetically huge portions. A perfect case study: Puerto Vallarta at the Junction in West Seattle.

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Agua Verde

On a warm spring day in Seattle, who wouldn't want to eat and drink on the slender terrace at Revel, sidewalk patio at Presse, or breezy rooftop deck at the Pink Door? But unless you're the parent of an atypically well-mannered child, those venues aren't going to cut it when the kids are coming to dinner. Alas, a few places in town offer alfresco eating options that placate hungry, stir-crazy diners. Especially kids. Here's the shortlist:

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Born in the USA

Any kid who spent part of summer vacation at a lake house is susceptible later in life to a strong nostalgia for screen doors, fountain soda, and slasher flicks. Many of my particular lake house memories are set in the 80s and involve watching dudes in nothing but cutoffs drive by in pickups with American flag bumper stickers, blaring "Born in the USA" by the Boss.

It's no wonder that walking into Rainin' Ribs induces era-checking arm pinches. There are the only slightly ironic American flags displayed in the kitchen and dining area. There is the iconic framed picture of Mr. Springsteen strumming a guitar in front of the Stars and Stripes above the cash register. And the kids in cut offs? They've been replaced with a fresh-faced kitchen staff slinging some of the best damn B-B-Q in our fair city.

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In the beloved lexicon The Joys of Yiddish, author Leo Rosten writes that the first time anybody printed the word bagel, it was back in the early 15th century, when a document outlining community rules for Krakow, Poland, explained that bagels were a gift commonly bestowed to women in childbirth.

I get it. Because when you're in labor, the sudden urge to bite something can be a pretty natural part of the process. Could be a piece of ice, a pillow, maybe a finger. As food goes, I can't think of anything better to clamp down on mid-contraction than a bagel. And if said bagel is going to make it through intact, it better be chewy enough to hold up.

I'm not talking about a goy, over-fattened piece of bread baked in a circle, but a hearty, crispy, disc. And if I had to guess, I'd say Eltana's bagels would be a damn good contender for longest-lasting and best-tasting in labor and delivery.

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Things happen in Lake City. Big neighborhood news in the last weeks included a pedestrian tackling a suspect bolting away from a police officer, SDOT announcing that it's replacing a pair of crosswalks on the main drag, and city leaders meeting to consider a neighborhood high-octane beer ban for the publicly inebriated. But what's just occurred is--hands down--the biggest and brightest change Lake City has seen in years. Elliott Bay Lake City Public House & Brewery, you are warmly welcomed.

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Most parents with kids-in-tow tend to steer clear of pubs on St. Patty's Day, even if they're all-ages establishments. Brilliantly, there are 364 days each year when Emerald City pubs aren't solely dedicated to the Emerald Isle. Now that March 17, 2013, is 352 days away, there's plenty of time to meander to the excellent, family-friendly Mulleady's Irish Pub in Magnolia.

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Yang and Chirchi with Pike.

Rachel Yang juggles a trifecta of jobs: chef, restaurateur, and mother. In no particular order, since on any given day, one role might demand more than the next. But if the acclaim of her and her husband's restaurants, the deliciousness of their food, and undeniable cuteness of their son Pike offer any hints, it's clear that all three jobs are more than worth their weight.

Both classically trained, Yang and spouse Seif Chirchi opened Wallingford's Joule five years ago, followed by Fremont's lauded Revel and adjoining bar Quoin in late 2010. A 2012 Best Chef: Northwest James Beard Award semifinalist, Yang earned a 2009 James Beard semifinalist nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year.

Below, Yang talks about feeding young diners, her son, and herself. Congrats are in order, Yang and Chirchi are excited to welcome a second son this May.

Do many young diners eat at your restaurants? Are most well behaved?
We do often get young diners at both of our restaurants. We love when they ask their parents if they can sit at the counter so they can watch! Kids get really fascinated by watching chefs cook. It's great to see parents and kids talk about food and try things they don't normally try at home.

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