We are staying near Cavill Avenue in an apartment, while we will do most of eating at home can anyone recommend any family friendly places to eat?

Northcliffe SLSC, has great views, good food and a kids play area. Most of the cafes along The Esplanade are family friendly. There's a Hogs Breath Cafe in Cavill Mall. For something different there is a little arcade near the Hilton and it has a lot of little Asian cafes. There is also a Hard Rock Cafe which has good food.

Pancake manor!

The RSL on Cavill has really nice, inexpensive food, no play area though, but they do have pencils and colouring sheets sometimes. They are the opposite end of Cavill to the beach, a fair bit off the road (if you see Melba's they are in the back area of the opening, steps up on lefthand side at the back of the court area - hard to decribe. There is a lit up sign)

We also liked for cheap for the lifesavers club? Standing on Cavill Ave looking to the beach, instead of crossing to the beach turn right, it is just before you cross a road.

In previous time we have been to the Irish pub above McDonalds at the end of Cavill (beach end), the food was delish and because we went at lunch and it was quiet, the owner came and sat and talked to us, she gave my daughter a free icecream.

To be completely honest, we only ate at places in walking distance of Cavill (we stayed at circle on cavill). I didn't find any with a play area, but all that we went to had wonderful food and great service. I can't wait to go back. (As a reward for good behaviour at dinner, we would sometimes go to Timezone for a play, there were games for all of us, and the short walk there and back was nice too.

I am really jealous, love the gold coast and am looking forward to going again when DS is just a little bigger to go on more of the rides at the theme parks - he was just a few cm short (at 3 and a half) for the fun for the whole family of adreneline junkies rides,lol.

Pancakes in Paradise! They don't just do pancakes, they have a full menu including kids meals, our kids love going there. Funny little side note about there, they have one of those $2 a turn claw toy machines that you never usually win anything from, but this one is a play until you win machine s for $2 the kids are super excited to have 'won' a dodgy little stuffed toy, but hey whatever keeps them happy right