Posted on by Judith Rich

Best Fruit Salads for Kids (and Parents too!)

It’s no myth, but kids generally don’t (yet) love salad. And while some vegetable salads are an exception, it’s usually the fruit salads that get all the cheers. It’s great to see when restaurants in Portland offer a nice fruit salad to go with a kid entree instead of the usual suspects such as french fries, chips, or tater tots. But where do you find a great fruit salad? For starters, you can make one at home. Here’s my take on heartier fruit salad that features cantaloupe, pieces of prosciutto, fresh strawberries, and some basil. As you can see, it was a hit!


And now without further ado, here is a roundup of Portland restaurants that will surely attract those young palates with a fresh, delicious, and seasonal fruit salad.

Cubo de Cuba

I’m a big fan of Cubo and have been coming here with my family for years. It’s great that they can make any bowl, plate, or sandwich kid friendly (see above!) and while they don’t serve a traditional fruit salad, their Caribbean salad is one to try. If your kid likes mango (and both of mine do), they’ll appreciate this vibrant salad, which in addition to mango also boasts brined cucumbers, avocado and lime juice. So fresh and so yummy!

3106 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland. https://www.cuboportland.com/

Gigis’ Cafe

Photo credit: Gigi’s Cafe

Gigi’s is always a treat for the whole family, as they specialize in liege style waffles, which are out of this world. Their kids menu is a more pared down version of their regular waffle menu, but most entrees can be accompanied by a fruit cup consisting of grapes, pear, and melon. Again, they focus on what’s available, seasonal, and fresh.

6320 SW Capitol Highway, Portland. https://gigiscafepdx.com/

Marco’s Cafe

Photo credit: Yelp

Marco’s in Multnomah Village is like going back in time. The building dates back to 1913, and was originally called the Thomas Bungalow Grocery–housing a post office, a masonic lodge, and even a junk store over the past century.  Marco’s plays on its history by offering nostalgic American cuisine. I love that they serve breakfast all day, which is especially fun for kids. Their entrees come with a side of fruit salad typically made up for cantaloupe, strawberries, apples and maybe a few other surprises. The service here is great and kiddos get first priority.

7910 SW 35th Avenue, Portland. https://www.marcoscafe.com/home

Mother’s Bistro

Mother’s is an all-time Portland classic and their tagline of “it’s all about the love,” rings true in every way.  Head chef and proprietor, Lisa Schroeder always offers a personal touch to everyone’s dining experience and personally comes around to each table to make sure everyone feels welcome. Their kids menu is quite extensive and they offer several variations on a fruit salad, including as a side to their dinner entrees, and also as an option on their dessert menu, which offers local, seasonal fruit.

121 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland.https://www.mothersbistro.com/

Poa Cafe

Photo credit: Poa Cafe

It’s always fun to come to Poa Cafe with the kids. While they’ve changed their menu over the years and the space has transformed as well, the focus of their food is always on healthy, fresh, and wholesome eats. They have lots of salad options but their Mount Hood Bowl stands out as a winner for younger palates. Made up of fresh berries, sliced bananas, cinnamon, peanut butter, oats and yogurt, this bowl is hearty and packed with lots of protein. You may have to pick up the slack on the oats and yogurt but that’s just part of your parental duties.

4025 N Williams Street, Portland. https://www.poacafe.com/

Toffee Club

Photo credit: KATU News

This British style soccer (or football) pub in Southeast Portland features all your British classics such as fish and chips (with mushy peas), bangers and mash, scotch eggs, and more! The kids menu is pretty extensive and offers kids sized portions of the above but also simpler foods such as a cheeseburger and a PBJ sandwich. In terms of their fruit salad, you can order a side of berries with any of their kids entrees, which based on availability, likely contain a variety of strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

1006 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland. https://www.toffeeclubpdx.com/

Verde Cocina

Photo credit: Verde Cocina

Kids love the food at Verde Cocina because it’s fresh, simple, and comforting. You can get your classic kids quesadilla or a burrito with a side of fruit. They choose the fruit based on what’s seasonal and their fruit medley usually includes some kind of melon, strawberries, and perhaps pineapple. What’s not to like?!

3 locations in Portland including in The Pearl, Hillsdale, and Sylvan Heights. https://www.verdecocinamarket.com/ 

Xocotl

Photo credit: Xocotl

Located inside Portland Mercado, Xocotl is technically a juice and smoothie bar, but it features tons of interesting fruit bowl options that kids will love. The shop is colorful and vibrant, and kids will likely enjoy choosing a heaping fruit bowl of their choice including the Xoco Bowl featuring pineapple, banana, coconut flakes with pistachio-peanut butter; the Tropical Bowl with mango, pineapple, banana strawberries, and coconut milk; a vibrant Azul Acai Smoothie Bowl (pictured above); and a Kiwi Avocado Bowl.

7238 SE Foster Road, Portland. https://xocotlpdx.com/

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Judith Rich

Judith Rich is a writer and co-contributor to Bridgetown Bites. She’s been a proud Portlander since 2014 and is now raising two Portland natives who are budding foodies. Judith loves cooking at home and experimenting with new recipes, as well as checking out new and tried and true Portland restaurants. She loves a good food adventure (together with Meg Cotner!)

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