Best Family Friendly Restaurants in Murray Hill
21 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Norma
Sicilian-focused trattoria known for arancini, pasta alla Norma and warm hospitality.
Notable Picks
#1
Norma
8.7
Norma’s Murray Hill outpost leans into Sicilian comfort cooking, from arancini and panelle to richly sauced pasta alla Norma and pan-style pizzas. The cozy room and attentive staff make it a go-to for lingering dinners that feel more like a trattoria in Catania than a Third Avenue address.
Must-Try Dishes:
Arancini Siciliani, Pasta alla Norma, Rianata Sicilian Pan Pizza
What Makes it Special: Sicilian-focused trattoria known for arancini, pasta alla Norma and warm hospitality.
8.7
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Business Lunch Power Players
Quick Bites Champions
A classic Jewish deli in Murray Hill dating back to the 1960s, Sarge's serves crinkle-cut fries that are treated as seriously as its towering pastrami sandwiches. The fries come out hot, salty, and generously portioned, making the diner a go-to when you want old-school New York comfort with a proper fry basket.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crinkle-Cut French Fries, Pastrami Reuben, Open-Faced Hot Turkey Sandwich with Fries
What Makes it Special: Old-school deli where crinkle-cut fries share top billing with stacked pastrami.
8.6
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Trendy Table Hotspots
Vezzo has anchored Murray Hill’s pizza scene since 2006 with ultra-thin, cracker-crust pies baked to a shattering crisp. The crowded dining room and long-running popularity are driven by a wide roster of toppings that skew indulgent—think truffle, spicy sausage, and layered veggie combinations.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shroomtown thin-crust pie with mushrooms and truffle oil, Margherita thin-crust pizza, Murray Hill pie with sausage and peppers
What Makes it Special: Long-running Murray Hill standby for ultra-thin, crispy pies with big toppings.
#4
2nd Ave Deli
8.6
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Since 1954, 2nd Avenue Deli’s Kips Bay location has delivered classic Jewish deli breakfasts and brunches, from challah French toast to towering pastrami sandwiches. High-volume traffic and decades of regulars make it a benchmark for comfort-heavy, old-New-York morning meals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Challah French Toast, Matzoh Ball Soup with rye, Hot Pastrami Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Historic kosher deli where challah French toast and pastrami anchor brunch.
8.5
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
Jackson Hole’s Murray Hill location has been serving oversized, pan-cooked burgers since the 1970s, with patties that spill far beyond the bun. The diner-like space, thick shakes, and long-running menu make it a classic choice when you want a sit-down burger that eats like a full plate.
Must-Try Dishes:
Santa Fe Burger, Mexican Burger, Soul Burger
What Makes it Special: Decades-old spot famous for enormous, overflowing burgers and shakes.
#6
H&H Bagels
8.3
This Kips Bay location of H&H Bagels channels the long-running New York brand’s kettle-boiled bagels and classic deli-style fillings. It leans more takeout than hangout, but delivers reliably warm bagels and stacked sandwiches to hospital staff, commuters, and locals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Nova salmon bagel with the works, Pumpernickel everything bagel with cream cheese, Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich
What Makes it Special: A neighborhood outlet of a classic New York bagel brand dating back to the 1970s.
#7
Ahimsa
8.1
Ahimsa is a vegetarian, largely vegan-friendly Indian restaurant in Murray Hill that leans into homestyle cooking, Jain options, and kosher certification. It’s where neighborhood diners go for chaats, dosas, and curries that feel comforting rather than heavy, with plenty of gluten-free choices.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pav Bhaji, Paneer Tikka, Vada Pav
What Makes it Special: Plant-forward vegetarian Indian with Jain, vegan, and kosher options.
8.1
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Libretto's is a neighborhood pizzeria and Italian spot in Murray Hill balancing slices, whole pies, and red-sauce classics. It functions as an all-purpose option where residents grab a quick slice at the counter or sit down for bigger New Yorker-style pies and chicken parms.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grandma square pie, New Yorker pie with pepperoni and sausage, Vodka slice with fresh mozzarella
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood standby offering both New York slices and full Italian dinners under one roof.
8.1
Dim Sum Garden is a casual Hong Kong-style dim sum house near Grand Central where bamboo baskets of dumplings, buns, and rice rolls anchor most orders. It’s more about steady comfort than ceremony, with a menu that lets you build a full meal from small plates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shanghai soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), Signature dim sum platter, Pan-fried pork dumplings
What Makes it Special: All-day dim sum with soup dumplings and a broad menu of classic baskets.
8
A neighborhood-utility Indian kitchen that lands best in the classic comfort lane: creamy curry, tandoor, and naan done in a steady, no-drama rhythm. It’s a strong pick for takeout or a low-key sit-down when you keep the order tight and stick to the proven standards.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken tikka masala, Butter chicken, Cheese naan
What Makes it Special: Classic Mughlai-style curries and tandoor staples that travel well.
Worthy Picks
#11
Sundaes Best
7.9
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Sweet Treats Escapes
Birthday & Celebration Central
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Sundaes Best is a Korean-owned gelato shop off Fifth Avenue serving Asian-inspired flavors like ube, black sesame, and lychee in a bright, candy-colored space. Since opening in 2023, it’s become a Koreatown dessert stop after KBBQ or a night out nearby.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ube gelato in a waffle cone, Black Sesame Honey Butter sundae, Lychee sorbet with popping boba
What Makes it Special: Asian-inspired gelato flavors in a bright Koreatown dessert shop.
7.8
Thai Food Near Me is a compact Murray Hill spot built around fast combos, delivery, and a broad curry-and-noodle menu. Office workers and nearby residents rely on it for weeknight pad thai, drunken noodles, and house curries that land on the table or at the door quickly.
Must-Try Dishes:
Drunken noodles with beef, Green curry with chicken, Crispy red duck curry
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood workhorse for fast, affordable Thai curries and noodles.
7.8
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Comfort Food Classics
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
NYC Pizza Kitchen in Kips Bay is a sit-down and takeout shop with a broad New York–style pizza menu plus slices, stromboli, and pastas. It fills the role of a reliable neighborhood option where you can order a straightforward pie, try thicker Sicilian squares, or tack on a salad and wings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pie, Sicilian square pizza, BBQ chicken pizza
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood pizza shop balancing classic pies, Sicilian slices, and a fuller Italian menu.
#14
Dynasty Dim Sum
7.8
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Comfort Food Classics
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Dynasty Dim Sum in Kips Bay leans playful, mixing classic baskets with fusion items and a neighboring hibachi setup upstairs. It’s more about fun presentation and variety than white-tablecloth ritual, with whimsical buns, rice dishes, and small plates built for sharing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hello Kitty custard buns, Tom Yum soup, Oink Oink fried rice
What Makes it Special: Modern dim sum house with creative buns and fusion dishes in a compact space.
#15
Phoshime
7.7
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Phoshime blends Vietnamese comfort dishes with a full sushi bar, giving Murray Hill diners pho, buns, and rolls under one roof. It’s especially useful for mixed groups that want both brothy noodles and maki without splitting between multiple restaurants.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chef’s sushi lunch specials, Pho with choice of protein, Grilled chicken or shrimp buns
What Makes it Special: Hybrid Vietnamese–Japanese spot where pho and sushi share the menu.
7.7
Mango Tree Thai Restaurant on Third Avenue is a newer Murray Hill bistro-style option with a broad lineup of curries, stir-fries, and appetizers. It’s most useful for sit-down dinners or delivery when you want slightly more polished plating and a broader menu than the pure grab-and-go spots nearby.
Must-Try Dishes:
Red curry with roast duck, Pad kee mao (drunken noodles), Mango sticky rice
What Makes it Special: Casual Thai bistro with a broad menu and sit-down-friendly space.
7.7
Bagel Boss Murray Hill is a kosher-leaning bagel shop and deli offering smoked fish, omelets, and full breakfast plates alongside classic bagels and flagels. It’s more of a sit-and-eat operation than a pure grab-and-go counter, giving neighborhood regulars a place to linger over brunch-style plates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bagel Boss Plate with eggs, home fries and bagel, Plain bagel with schmear and smoked salmon, French toast breakfast with a side bagel
What Makes it Special: Kosher-style bagel shop where smoked fish, egg platters, and bagels share equal billing.
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Bareburger’s Smash Club in Murray Hill focuses on crusty smash patties, organic beef, and plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. The casual room and full bar make it a flexible hangout when a group wants burgers but needs plant-based and dietary options covered.
Must-Try Dishes:
Supreme Burger, Standard Burger, Americana Burger
What Makes it Special: Smash-style burgers with organic sourcing and strong vegan options.
#19
Nobi Sushi
7.6
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Nobi Sushi is a high-volume neighborhood workhorse, sending out big maki combos, party platters, and bento boxes for Kips Bay offices and apartments. It’s more about generous portions and speedy delivery than hushed omakase moments.
Must-Try Dishes:
Three-roll lunch special, Sushi deluxe combo, Perfect Match specialty roll
What Makes it Special: Reliable, large-portion neighborhood sushi that travels well.
The Murray Hill 16 Handles serves rotating soft-serve, frozen yogurt, and non-dairy flavors with a sprawling toppings bar, making it a customizable dessert stop for neighborhood families and roommates. It’s more about build-your-own fun than chef-driven flavors, but it reliably scratches the ice cream itch late into the evening.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tahitian Vanilla Bean frozen yogurt with toppings, Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel froyo, Cookies & Cream milkshake
What Makes it Special: Self-serve soft-serve and frozen yogurt with a huge toppings lineup.
#21
Tosocchon
7.6
An early-to-late Korean staple that plays best as a practical neighborhood stop for soup, rice, and straightforward mains. It’s less about spectacle and more about getting a hot, filling Korean meal at hours that work for everyday routines.
Must-Try Dishes:
Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), Kimchi stew (kimchi-jjigae), Bulgogi
What Makes it Special: All-day Korean comfort staples with an everyday, no-drama format.