This New England-Style Restaurant in Fairfax Now Doubles As a Kids' Play Space

"Now, with their own two- and four-year-old boys, the couple wanted to do more for families with young kids. Recently, they opened Play Date Social on the top floor of the restaurant, featuring a 500-square-foot play area in the middle of the dining room. "With young kids we're always compromising, right?," Forbes says. "It's like there's either a place that's good for them or a place that's good for us. And we were like, 'We need something that's good for both.'""

"Forbes says they discovered that there are a ton of play cafes in the Midwest and Texas, as well as in Europe-but not so much in the DC area. Plus, most tend to be cafes, while Play Date Social is a full-service restaurant with "food that isn't Chuck E. Cheese food," Forbes says. It will serve the same menu as Ned's New England Deck, including warm and cold lobster rolls, fried seafood platters, and clam chowder."

"Both Play Date Social and Ned's now open at 9:30 AM on weekdays and 8:30 AM on Fridays and weekends with iced coffee drinks and egg sandwiches on Kaiser rolls, including a meaty option with sausage, bacon, and Taylor ham and a vegetarian version with smashed avocado and crispy onions. The play area full of sensory toys is designed for kids six and under, with a special section for crawlers and tumblers under 18 months."

Ned's New England Deck in Fairfax added Play Date Social on the restaurant's top floor, creating a 500-square-foot play area inside the dining room. Co-owners Steve Forbes and Fiona Hogan designed the space for families with toddlers, offering sensory toys and a separate section for crawlers and tumblers under 18 months. The venue operates as a full-service restaurant serving Ned's menu of lobster rolls, fried seafood platters, clam chowder, and snackier options, alongside a kid's menu and alcoholic beverages. Both locations now open mornings with coffee and egg sandwiches. Play Date Social charges $7 per child for 90 minutes.

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