Kid-Foodie Guide to California

The playground-like Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, about an hour’s drive from San Francisco along I-80, is a sweetie mecca. It offers free quarter-of-a-mile-long, self-guided tours on an elevated viewing platform that lets you see the sweet making in action. You also get to play with interactive displays and nosh on free samples, from fruity-sour-apple and birthday-cake jelly beans to treats with intriguing flavours such as skunk spray and stinky socks. For a masterclass in sweet making, you can, for a fee, take the Jelly Belly University tour, led by a Dean of the Bean. You’ll suit up in a white lab coat, hairnet and gloves—no sandals, flip-flops or high heels allowed—to go behind the scenes and watch the master confectioners at work.

Afterwards, head to the Jelly Belly Café for bean-shaped pizzas, bean-shaped burgers, garlic fries and more.

If a California road trip takes you north on Highway 101 or Interstate 5, plan a lunch stop at Pea Soup Andersen’s and be sure to try the namesake family recipe. The eatery has two locations: The original, opened in 1924, is near the bucolic Danish town of Solvang off Highway 101, and the second location is just south of Stockton off Interstate 5 in Central Valley.

The restaurant was initially named Andersen’s Electric Café after Danish-born couple Anton and Juliette Andersen purchased a coveted electric cookstove. The couple later added the family soup recipe to the menu. Now the famous restaurant—replete with an inn and marketplace—serves up gallons of the vegetarian and gluten-free green soup every day. Not in the mood for soup? Other options range from Danish sausage in a tomato-and-onion sauce to Hap-Pea’s monster burger with American cheese on a grilled sesame-seed bun. Kid-friendly selections include grilled cheese sandwiches, buttermilk pancakes, and Belgian waffles.

Post-meal, comb the adjacent marketplace for saltwater taffy, Danish cookies, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, kids’ T-shirts, and pans for making aebelskiver, the spherical Danish pancakes. 

This cosy spot, situated in a Tudor Revival–style chalet overlooking Lake Arrowhead, first opened for business in 1982. Now a local landmark, the husband-and-wife–owned eatery serves an expansive menu for kids and big kids alike, with sandwiches, burgers, salads, and, of course, savoury and sweet waffles, including more than 15 different dessert waffles. Standouts include the Hot Apple Annie—topped with a mound of cinnamon ice cream, warm spiced apples, and whipped cream—and the Belgian S’more—a campfire-inspired concoction with chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs.

Kids (ages 12 and younger) can also choose from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, served on bread or a waffle, or the Chicken in a Basket with two chicken tenders served with waffle fries and fruit.

Can’t get enough of the dreamy waffles? Buy the house mix and re-create them at home. 

Opened 68 years ago in Los Angeles by Harry and Esther Snyder, this drive-thru hamburger stand has become a California institution, easily recognizable by the yellow arrow in its logo. With locations throughout the state, In-N-Out is known for no-nonsense hamburgers, such as the cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and an onion slice—but it does add a secret sauce that hasn’t changed one iota since 1948.

Go big with a Double-Double—with two beef patties and all the fixings—or do like the locals and order off the Not-So-Secret Menu, which includes the grilled cheese sandwich (also topped with lettuce, tomato, and onions) and the bunless “protein-style” burger. Order some fries, too, and wash it all down with an old-fashioned vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate milkshake. If you’re traveling with kids or want your own California souvenir, ask for a free paper hat.

Dreaming of your next road trip? Consult In-N-Out’s location map to check for stops along your route. 

Situated on Palm Canyon Road, the main drag in Palm Springs, Cheeky’s is the spot for brunch. The colourful bistro is right at home in the trendy Uptown Design District, where you’ll find artist-owned galleries next to coffee shops and stores selling mid-century modern furniture and vintage clothing.

Cheeky’s menu, which changes weekly, takes an innovative spin on breakfast classics. The house-made cinnamon rolls and bacon flights are two of the most popular items; other creations include eggs Benedict with a cheddar scone and coconut waffles topped with fresh mango. All of the produce is locally sourced, and the juices are freshly squeezed. The kids’ menu—which offers simple breakfast staples done right—doubles as a placemat with puzzles to keep little ones occupied.

The restaurant accommodates only about 30 people and is first come, first served, so expect lines on the weekends and during big event weeks. (The coffee garden and bar make the wait time pass pleasantly.) Try going on a weekday morning for quicker seating—the restaurant opens at 8 a.m.