child friendly eateries... Belfast!

[bea]

off to belfast for second jaunt of our easter hols... v. v. excited..

am spending a day in belfast with dd (3) and ds (1)... am thinking of going to W5 and have heard belfast zoo is a great place (is it walkable from city centre?)... but need some ideas for places to stop and chill out and have something to eat...

any ideas?

thanks!

Don't know about child-friendly eating sorry (not living there atm), but the Zoo isn't really walkable from city centre - you'll need to catch a bus

hello bear! me agina! soon off for our stay at the barns... thanks for all the info... at the moment, trying to do the laundry etc and collate all the info i've gathered!!!

hope it's not too rainy!!!

Hi bea , weather is cool and showery, but will probably change in 15 minutes(as usual).
Zoo is about 2 miles from city centre so you need to get a number 2 A B or C. I would recommend Paul rankin's Rain City- Malone road corner of Eglantine Ave. Nice food and friendly to kids. Sort of bistro style so no need to book if going earlyish. if in town there are stacks of good places to get a coffee. Clements are everywhere- rosemary street/have big comfy sofas in which to collapse. W5 is in odyssey complex and there is a diner (american style) called soda joes as well as the ususal suspects like pizza hut. There is also a family friendly tapas place on the first floor. have a lovely time!! Don't forget to ask for info at Welcome centre above boots on Royal ave. They have all the info you need and internet access and city centre loo!

o yes for all kids stuff there is a website : ni4kids.com =listings of all easter things happening and all family friendly sorts of stuff

Bea, i will be back at 6 if you need any more answers

i love you mumsnetters! and all your wealth of information... to be honest am a little nervous at the thought of going away to somewhere new, without home broadband internet access, as mumsnet is the font of all my knowledge!!!

sounds like we'll be dining at rain city if possible... what about really nice loos!? sorry am a little anal (scuse the pun! ) about loos... good places to change a nappy?

will probably think of more questions later on.. we leave on friday morning!!! help! on a ferry!!!

hmmm! tapas sounds nice too! luckily dh has found out that the conference finsihes at 2.30 so we may go to w5 for a jaunt and maybe to one of the eateries for tea... how exciting... now all i have to do is ensure the kiddies behave!!!

Loos in city centre are a bit of a nightmare. there is a Mothercare in Castle Place with a loo and changing facilites, but I would only give it 3/5. still it is handy and right bang smack in the middle of town. Boots has a tiny loo on the top floor 2/5.Castlecourt (Royal AVe )shopping mall also has toilets up the escalator to the right , and changing facilites. There is a baby Gap and Adams and ELC on the ground floor of Castlecourt.
Dunnes stores( kids clothes on 3) has a cafe on top floor up escalator and loos as well. Quite new.My English friends make a bee-line for Dunnes as it is like a cheaper version of M&S.
BHS also has a loo beside it's cafe and dh says it has a baby change but i can't confirm.
If you go into the city centre and end up in a state of collapse i often go into The Linenhall Library Cafe. Entrance on Fountain street. There is a lift up to the library from the street entrance and a big 5/5 loo next to the lift. there is a very civilised quiet cafe and best of all a small childrens library. It is a bit rarified , but staff are very nice. often they have interesting exhibitions. it used to be a private library, very dusty and full of ulster history and the like , but it has opened up recently with the cafeand is real pice of belfast history.
W5 has loos everywhere- but has nowhere inside to buy food except vending machines. be warned and bring your own. They have tables for you to sit and eat a picnic, so bring your own.
Belfast zoo is really good now ( used to be shocking.) It is set on a very steep hill. They often have a little motorised train to take you to the top of the park. Take it ! and walk down so you won't be dead by the time you have seen the penguins. I speak from experience.The views on a clear day are really lovely. You can even wave at me!

Hello - came to this thread a little late.

Nice baby changing facilities - Boots on Royal Avenue (1st floor) - big, clean and nice comfy chair for breastfeeding mothers or Debenhams in Castlecourt (next to the Ladies toilets) or Marks & Spencer on Royal Avenue (2nd floor) - has toilets attached so parents can go too.

Family-friendly eateries - definitely second Raincity - usually a pasta option on the kids meals (not the usual chicken nuggets) but Raincity is about a mile or so from the city centre.

In the Odyssey (complex where W5 is), there's also a Chinese restaurant called the Red Panda, staff are quite helpful.

If it's raining and your kids need to let off steam, Lunarland has an indoor soft play jungle gym. It's at Yorkgate complex (short taxi ride from the city)

Taxi rides are fairly cheap around Belfast but you need to call taxis as you can't hail them in the street or there are designated black taxi ranks around the city.

many many thanks! for all the info... hopefully it won;t be an awful wet day... as long as its dry i don;t mind...

will pop back if i have any mad queries!

Hi bea it is cold and foggy today

How did you get on bea? Did you have a good time?