NOLA is built around fine dining and date night — and it's also, at the right times, a genuinely good place to bring your kids. Leslieville is a family-dense neighbourhood, and parents here are looking for one specific thing: somewhere they can eat properly with a child in tow, not a colouring-page kids' menu.
We'd rather tell you the honest, good time to come than have you show up on a busy Saturday night and leave disappointed. Weekend brunch and early weekday dinner are our best family windows. Friday and Saturday from 7–10 PM is a date-night room, and we'll say so plainly rather than pretend otherwise.
Quick Answer
What Parents Usually Want to Know
- [X] high chairs and [X] booster seats on hand
- No printed kids' menu — the kitchen builds a simple plate on request
- Room for strollers near [entry / booth section]
- Step-free entry from Queen Street East
- Best times: weekend brunch 10 AM–1 PM, weekday dinner 4–6 PM
- Reservations recommended, especially on weekends
Section One
Best Times to Bring Kids
Timing is the single most useful thing we can tell you. NOLA runs a full dinner service and gets genuinely busy at night, so we'd rather point you to the windows that are actually calm for a family than have you guess.
Sat – Sun, 10 AM–1 PM
Weekend Brunch
Our easiest family service by far. Bright room, relaxed pace, and a menu that works for kids and adults alike.
Mon – Fri, 4–6 PM
Early Weekday Dinner
The calmest dinner window, before the room fills. Good for an early family meal without the later crowd.
Summer Months
Patio, Daytime
Outdoor space is more forgiving with young kids — more room, more noise tolerance, easier exits.
The honest exclusion: Friday and Saturday from 7–10 PM is a date-night room — full tables, a livelier bar, and a pace built for adults. We'd rather tell you that upfront than have it be a surprise at the table.
Section Two
What Kids Actually Eat Here
Handmade pasta is our real advantage for families. A plain buttered fresh pasta is a near-universal kid order — and here it's an actual dish made in-house, not a frozen nugget reheated to order.
Plain Handmade Pasta
Butter, No Sauce, Cut Small
Made from the same fresh pasta dough as the dinner menu — just simplified. This is the single most requested off-menu order we get from parents.
Simple Grilled Protein
Chicken or Fish, Plain
A plain grilled piece of chicken or fish with a side, no seasoning beyond salt if that's what works for your child.
A Side, Their Way
Fries, Vegetables, or Bread
We don't print a kids' menu with fixed prices — tell your server what your child will actually eat and the kitchen will build it.
Section Three
Practical Facilities
The checklist parents are actually scanning for before they decide to come.
High Chairs
[X] high chairs and [X] booster seats available.
Change Table
Located in the [accessible washroom]. Ask any staff member.
Stroller Parking
Space near [entry / booth section] fits a standard stroller.
Step-Free Entry
Level entry from Queen Street East — no stairs to the dining room.
Noise Level
Calm at brunch and early dinner; considerably louder Fri–Sat after 7 PM.
Bottle Warming
Ask your server — the kitchen can warm a bottle on request.
Section Four
Weekend Brunch With Kids
This is our strongest family offer, full stop. Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM, the room is bright, the pace is relaxed, and it's the service where a stroller and a high chair feel completely normal rather than an accommodation.
Kids tend to gravitate toward the same handful of brunch dishes — simple eggs, pastries, and anything with fresh pasta on the side. Most families are in and out within an hour to ninety minutes, which makes it easy to plan around nap times. For the full spread, see our weekend brunch menu.
Section Five
Patio With Kids
In summer, our wraparound patio is often the easiest seat in the house for a family — more room to breathe, and a louder voice doesn't stand out the way it might inside. It's honest to say the patio sits directly on Queen Street East, so if you're watching a toddler who likes to wander, keep that in mind. Read the full details on our patio page.
Section Six
Allergies and Dietary Needs
Tell your server about any allergy or dietary restriction when you sit down, before you order. The kitchen will walk you through which dishes are safe as prepared and which can be adapted. [Confirm and publish the specific nut, dairy, and gluten cross-contact protocol here before this page goes live — parents of allergic children need specifics, not reassurance.]
FAQ
Common Questions
Do you have high chairs?
Yes. We keep [X] high chairs on the floor plus [X] booster seats for older toddlers, available first-come or reserved ahead when you book.
Is there a kids' menu?
We don't run a printed kids' menu, but the kitchen will make a plain buttered pasta, a simple grilled protein, or a side from what's already in service. Ask your server when you sit down.
What's the best time to come with young children?
Weekend brunch from 10 AM–1 PM is our easiest family service, followed by early weekday dinner between 4 and 6 PM. Friday and Saturday from 7–10 PM is a busier, date-night room.
Is there a change table?
Yes, in the [accessible washroom]. Ask any member of staff to point you to it.
Can you fit a stroller?
Yes. There's space near [entry / booth section] for stroller parking, and entry to the dining room is step-free.
Can the kitchen make a plain pasta for a toddler?
Yes — it's one of the most common requests we get: fresh handmade pasta with butter, no sauce, cut small.
Is the restaurant loud?
It varies by service. Weekend brunch and early weekday dinner (before 6 PM) are calm. Friday and Saturday from 7 PM on, the room fills and gets considerably louder.
How do you handle nut allergies?
Tell your server about any allergy when you order and the kitchen will walk you through which dishes are safe. [Confirm the specific cross-contact protocol before publishing.]
Explore More
Plan the Rest of Your Visit
Visit Us
Bring the Family to Leslieville
NOLA Eatery & Bar is at 1161 Queen St E, Toronto. Reservations are recommended for weekend brunch and early dinner.