trip to London - places to eat

[katiekittlemouse]

taking dd's (4 & 6) to London tomorrow and grateful for any suggestions of good kid friendly lunch venues?

We are getting train to Paddington then heading towards Regents St. for trip to Hamleys...

Bump

Rainforest Cafe just down from Regents St at Shaftesbury Avenue - but not cheap...

Oh you have got to go to the Rainforest cafe on shaftsebury avenue.

it is the most amazing place to eat with children. both mine love it.

How about going to Worlds End restaurant in China Town for dim sum. My children love the trolleys that they trundle around, choosing what they take a fancy too. China town is nice to wander around as well. Perhaps a walk round one of the chinese supermarkets looking at some of the weird veggies or a visit to the cake shop to buy a pack of fortune cookies

Kids tend to like Wagamama, and it's noisy so it likes them back - there's one round the back of Selfridges on Oxford St, so not very far from Regent St. There's a chain called Leon with a branch on the other side of Regent Street from Oxford Circus, ie further north than Niketown and Top Shop - google this, I don't want you to get lost - that does little boxes of very healthy and yummy food - sort of kebabby tasting chicken with healthy rice, but a lot nicer than that sounds, that is also casual but unlike Wagamama, without waitress service. It can get a bit crowded, though - less so at the weekend than mid-week with the office crowd. It's good and tasty and cheap, with nice puddings, if you want something fast and very casual. In that area there's also about 3 branches of Carluccios, and it has the same kind of noisy communal table vibe (although there's a more elegant branch in the basement of Fenwicks on Bond Street), and I find children like their meatballs and pasta.

Finally, Giraffe is a great chain for kids - there's a branch a few streets up behind Selfridges -

www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/80636/Giraffe

I've recommended chains rather than one-offs, because I think they tend to be nicer to kids and equipped with diversion tactics. This may not really be your sort of thing - if you're looking for a real treat day out experience, ignore these.

thanks all. Had a great time. had lunch in Rainforest cafe - thought it a bit of a rip off but the kids loved it!