Ahh, family mealtimes. Met equally with both excitement and anxiety, eating out with children can sometimes be hit or miss. But the capital, London, has no end of choices available for dining with children - and yes that includes fussy eaters too!
Pack the essentials
But first, it’s fair to say that dining out is not quite the same once you have children. Bags of spare clothes, buckets of toys, your favourite baby plate, and a loaded iPad are just some of the staples many parents find themselves packing to survive dining out.
The capital has tons of excellent family-friendly restaurants, here's just a few
Here are just a few of our favourite child family restaurants in London:
- Heddon Street Kitchen, Regent Street – London
A kids-eat free menu coupled with a fantastic (and non-fussy) menu, makes this Gordon Ramsay restaurant especially inviting for families. But it doesn’t stop there. Heddon Street boasts its very own ice-cream bar to ‘whip’ them in to a frenzy, plus an awesome kid’s menu inspired by his daughter Tilly. As if that wasn’t enough to keep them entertained, there’s a ‘Tilly’s Treats Kids Pack’ too. As you’d expect, the adult’s menu is stunning with a rather inviting Proseco Brunch weekend menu too.
- Franco Manca, Westfield - London
Although it doesn’t have a kid’s menu, Franco Manca offers well-priced simple dishes, including a humble tomato, garlic and oregano pizza from £4.95. Made from delicious sourdough and fresh simple ingredients, pizzas are delivered in super-quick time to fill hungry tummies. Although you can’t book, dining early with a child does have its advantages of it not being too busy.
- The Old Dairy at Vauxhall City Farm
It’s an urban farm, it’s a café, it’s an awesome day out! What makes The Old Dairy quite so special is that it promotes seasonal food made with local ingredients. A lot of what they do is about helping young people, so it’s particularly welcoming of families and school trips. A great place to get your child in to food. Did we also it's also one of London's free attractions? You're welcome.
- Jamie’s Italian, Covent Garden
As a tourist in London you can’t avoid the lure of Covent Garden. Avoid the tourist-traps and hot-foot it down to Jamie’s, discreetly secluded in Wellington Court. Pull over that feeding chair, as its menu is child friendly and well considered. You won’t find the same tired dishes here, instead it brings a playful theme with fantastic fish stew and chicken lollipops to keep mealtimes exciting, clean kids plates all-around.
- The Rainforest Café, Piccadilly Circus
Housed in a make-believe jungle, this is one restaurant you won’t be shouting ‘I’m a parent get me out of here’ in! Most definitely one for the kids, this place oozes fun with real jungle noises in a spectacular setting. It’s hard not to be mesmerised by the crocodiles, butterflies and indoor waterfall. It serves a mixture of kids crowd pleasers, including burgers and sausages.
Other noteworthy chains that give plenty of consideration to toddlers also include; Pizza Express, Wahaca, Giraffe and Nando’s.
Need inspiration? Check out our range of kids plates with a built-in play area, ideal for dining out.
