No nuggets!!

[Andrej]

Has anyone come across anywhere in the UK, a. a restaurant where the childrens menu doesn't just consist of nuggets, burgers and fish fingers, and b. has a supervised creche, so you too can enjoy your meal!

I think there is a gap in the market that needs addressing, and owuld be keen to hear your experiences - or note, as the case may be!

Thank you

This is a big pet hate of mine too! Dd hates that sort of food and loves a roast dinner. Just how hard can it be to offer half portions of adult meals?

A couple of years ago whilst on holiday we found a restaurant in Amroth near Tenby and it was brilliant. The children could have half portions of anything or the chef would just cook what they wanted. There should be more like that! (no creche though)

You're absolutely right Andrej, there's definitely a gap in the market for something like this. Are you a budding entrepreneur??

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Oh this really annoys me too! Nearly every child friendly restaurant has the exact same dishes on the menu, if lucky they will have a pasta dish (usually with a simple tomato sauce.) If not I do what Twiglett does and let ds twins share from our plates.

It is boring and unimaginative that these places can't just say children can have anything from the adult menu but in a smaller portion, and in two sizes for that matter with a toddler size meal and a school age size meal. If I wanted them to eat junk I'd take them to McD or BK!

Although there is no supervised creche IKEA (aka the Mothership!) does a really good kiddies plate of pasta and you get a free piece of fruit with it - all for 50p!

We went out for a meal the other week for brothers 30th birthday - 12 of us in total.

Asked to see the kids menu - our main meals were costing £15.00 per head, so didn't want to pay that for picky DD2

It consisted of:

sausage and chips
burger and chips
chicken nuggets and chips

and that was it! DD2 (4.5) declared to the waiter that she didn't like chips. He replied "but all kids like chips!!!" So after nagging, I got -

DD1 (8) and DS1 (6) a childs portion of roast beef dinner.

DD2 had some sausages but with roast potatoes and sweetcorn.

Now why was that so difficult - I had to fight for these meals (which to me would have made things a lot easier in the kitchen anyway since these foods were being served to other diners).

Another thing that annoys me - kids meals always come with fizzy drinks!!! My younger 2 don't like fizzy stuff, so again I have to make a fuss because they want juice.

I'm not facing this yet as ds is only 7 mos. When I was a child there was no such thing as a kids menu ..... just kids portions or half portions of the main menu. Weird how it's all gone to the other extreme. I find it really hard to find somewhere to go to eat with ds other than the food court of the shopping centre or John Lewis as they'll carry the tray!

agree with all said.we did go to a hungry horse pub last weekend though sadly no creche but although they do do usual food they do do kids size roasts,steaks etc ,its virtually as big as the adult menu .
was a beautiful afternoon ans we sat outside and hardly saw dd(4) all afternoon as she was playing in the playground toys.
hope that helps

well ont he other ened gf the spectrum Mine hate orange juice and prefer squash and we hate it whe they only have juice

so horses for courses

I'm going to have another moan too - my dd only drinks milk and water. I begrudge paying a quid for 15p worth of milk or worse being told they 'don't serve tap water' but are happy to ask £1.50 for a bottle of mineral water. We now take our own but even that can get you a dirty look!

Agree re the kids' meals - they are disgusting and unimaginative - but we have always taken our kids with us to 'proper' restauants and asked for 'proper' food, ie 1 portion of something between them and 2 or 3 plates or chosen from starters to be served as a main. Not sure how I feel about creches in restaurants TBH: I think maybe if you expect kids to grow up to be interested in food and to be experimental, you have to expect them to be part of the whole experience of eating out, not simply to wolf something down then go to play in a ballpond. Maybe this is harsh and I know its not easy: we have had our fair share of times when we though "why are we doing this?". But I honestly feel that, of course choose a restaurant where they welcome children (ie most of Europe ), but do not exclude kids from the main event. Eating out is fun for kids too!

I think you've hit the nail on the head when you talk about finding restaurants (and to be honest, other restaurant users) that welcome children. In this country (in my experience) they are few and far between, which is why we all end up in the young family ghettos eating endless chips. It's a big cliche, but still true that whenever we go on holiday to France, Italy or Spain we eat out with ds (3.5) all the time without feeling awkward.

Antonio Carluccios does kids menus without the usual rubbish that is offered to kids! The prices were quite reasonable too and ds loved it. No creche though.

Collision, just had dinner tonight at carluccio's in ealing. I am half italian and very picky about my italian food and was very very impressed with the meal. (went without the kids so can't comment on the kids menu....but normally just order for ourselves and feed the kids some of ours).

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Why do they assume that your child won't be requiring vegetables?? What's with nuggets, fish fingers served with chips and beans??????

PSML !!! And I thought my 10yr old nephew who loves capers and olives and hates chocolate etc was weird !

I've been saying this for ages Andrej. I almost tried to get the local paper to do a child friendly supplement but didn't get round to it. I may do something now that you've brought it up as it really annoys me. Some restaurants are really quiet too and should encourage families. After all the kids are their future anyway and they may as well be filling seats.

I got excited as a play place opened up in town that said it'd do good food for adults and kids too. Yuck! what a lie.

As regards to the way people treat you when you go out with kids - did any of these people ever have them?? I can't believe the British attitude to kids in restaurants. I know some people want a quiet intimate dining experience but most families are out in good time anyway. And even if they aren't the more we encourage this the better behaved kids will become as it'll be the norm for them.

Went to lebanese place in wimbledon last weekend and the couple at the table next to us practically fell off their chairs when I put a bowl of olives (with pits) on the table and my 1.5 and 3.5 year old consumed it in minutes. The woman was pregnant and said that I gave her hope as their english neices and nephews ate nothing but chips etc. and they thought that that was normal for children nowadays.

Caffe Uno near us - supposedly child-friendly restaurant. Was out with my three kids plus friend with three more and asked at the door whether they had a table for eight (could see that the restaurant was three quarters empty) just before 5pm.
Waiter said "Of course...oh, hang on, is it for children?". "Yes", I said, "why, is there a problem with that?"
"Well yes" said the waiter "people have come in here for a peaceful afternoon. If your kids are well behaved, then I suppose they can come in".
Mmm thanks, can't wait as you're so WELCOMING!! AAAH!!!

Our lovely local pub which serves delicious fresh homemade food does both. Either smaller childs portions of the normal menu or childrens meals like fishy fingers or whatever. I must admit we usually just ask for 2 plates for our 2 and maybe a side dish and this is fine. they always have pudding though!

Isnt it interesting how chinese and tandoori restraunts just do smaller portions of normal meals, they dont serve nuggets