Going out in London with a small baby

[Swizzler]

Does anyone have any recommendations for eating out/other activities in London when you have a small baby? DS is 4 weeks and we'd like to get out of the house occasionally, but not sure about baby changing facilities etc. Any ideas on places to eat in N london esp welcome

Just go where you would normally go, he will never be this portable again.

I remember going to an Italian in Cobham when DS was about 4 or 5 months, I was horrified (as only a new Mum can be) to discover they did not have any changing facilities. When they realised that I needed to change DS they took me to the office and cleared the managers desk.

We have been taking DS out since he was 6 weeks old, consequently he is totally chilled in restaurants. My DM was amazed in the summer to discover that he quite happily sat at the table for nigh on two hours, with only a few small toys and some marker pens and paper.

Go and enjoy.

Places like Pizza Express usually have baby change
Also department stores & m&s
Museums, galleries etc are all good and have cafes for tea & cake

agree with sherlock - get it all in now, by the time they are on the move it is much more difficult as they won't sit still for so long.

Don't let nappy change facilities or lack of put you off. I've changed nappies on tiny shelves, dirty floors etc. If you take baby out in reclining buggy or pram you can always roll mat out on that.

Good family friendly restaurants include Giraffe and Carluccios (various branches around london)

Parks and park cafes are good places to go when the weather's good. Try St James' Park for a posh cafe.

Getting out is def a good idea with a small baby. When I was in town I would often stop at John Lewis or Peter Jones just to use their baby feeding/changing room (and Mothercare if you are up that end of Oxford Street).

Which part of N London. I live in Finsbury Park and most restaurants on Stroud Green Road are happy to let babies in (just got back from Turkish place called 'Patek' with three month old) - there's two Italian places there, La Porchetta and Pizza Pappagone which are really baby friendly.

The Tate Modern is quite good for trips out during the week - plenty of room to wheel a pram etc. I've been to a few galleries during the day and ds gets lots of positive attention from people even when crying! HAven't done it yet bit there are those baby cinema things at the Everyman in Hampstead and the Phoenix in East Finchley.

do you have the harden's london baby guide? it lists places like banners (crouch end) - though changing is cramped there as loo v small and don't recall table or anything - kenwood house at the heath, fredericks (camden passage, islington), lots of places in primrose hill (also some nice shops as well as park) and giraffe. i'd add carluccio's (hampstead always full of babies and children) to that and second the vote for john lewis on oxford street. if it's not just shopping and eating the national gallery has good restaurant and a baby change/feed room (though it is a bit ropey). moro v good when i took dd for lunch while tiny (though don't recall changing facilities) and exmouth market good for eating and moochy shopping. oh, and corum's fields - park which you can't get into without a lo. it has a caff and again nice moochy type shops on lambs conduit street right outside and foundlings museum if you would like to spend some time in tears for the mothers who had to abandon their babies...sob (it is worth a visit though). london zoo should be great but catering is bloody awful and entry is expensive unless you invest in an annual card (do have changing facilities and worth remembering they're not only in the ladies so your dh/dp can do the nappy! hee hee).
and brent cross if you like the shopping centre thing (blissfully easy if want to try clothes on and take buggy rather than sling as you can drive and lifts just everywhere)
i took dd all over when she was tiny and sling-able. ah, those were the days...
sorry, this turned into rather a long post!
oh and cinema hampstead and east finchley both do parent and baby screenings. i'll shut up now.

i'm in stroud green/finsbury park too. there's also the new 'natural cafe' in crouch end. have you tried that? staff a bit clueless but baby central as it's organic. and the refurbished finsbury park cafe, of course. but don't start me on the service there... . and the 'front room' is lovely with babies and has high chairs.

Gosh, lots of recommendations! I love La Porchetta, but couldn't remember if they had baby changing facilities - will def try. National Gallery a good idea as well when I feel confident enough to go further afield. I've never been to Carluccio's to eat, only to buy stuff from the deli, so will try that

Thanks for all your help