Before I had children, I was always eating out. And now that I have kids, nothing has changed—except perhaps the time that we eat. (No more 9pm dinners!) As a Staten Islander, I'm constantly on the lookout for restaurants in our borough that serve good food and have a nice atmosphere, but are also welcoming to my two boys, ages eight and one.

While it's true that Staten Island has a lot of fast-food joints and mall food court chains, we've got other options, too. Over the years, my family and I have dined all over the borough, and there are certain restaurants that stand out from the rest. Some spots offer entertainment along with the eats, others feature an old New York ambiance and a few offer great deals specifically for families, including one where kids eat free. Here are my top ten favorite places to eat with kids on Staten Island.

read more