Newborn friendly restaurants

[Dadzilla]

I'm determined to take my wife to a smart restaurant in London or Surrey to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary .. but need somewhere appropriate for us to take a 3 week old baby boy! Searching for kid friendly restaurants doesn't yield quite the right results as he's too young for high chair etc, so the main priority is changing facilities, space near table for the carrycot etc, but without comprising on the fine dining for mum and dad.. it's a special occasion so we don't want a Frankie and Benny's etc!

Has anyone else been in this situation? Any recommendations or am I hoping for the impossible?! Many thanks.

That's interesting about the Orrery. Do you know if they've got baby change facilities or are they just more suited to parents with young child?

Would you mind checking for me?

!

Go for lunch instead of dinner - we went to the Petersham Nursery (michelin starred) for lunch when our twins were 8 weeks old, we just left them in the pram near the table and they slept through it all.

You don't need baby change facilities really. You can change them in their pram. A newborn is a lot easier in a restaurant than an older baby. Lunch would be easier all round though.

Has your son arrived yet ?
I don't want to throw cold water on what sounds like a lovely, lovely thought, but when my first born was 3 weeks old, I really, really, was not ready to out out to a lovely restaurant..... might be worth waiting and seeing, and maybe giving a card with a 'promise' to arrange this as soon as she feels ready ?

Browns, they are great for baby changing and pram space

Agree withbackforgood. If baby isn't here yet you may find going out for dinner totally unrealistic. Most babies cluster feed in an evening esp if breastfeed and it is zero fun to be in a restaurant eating with 1 hand while trying to maintain a latch. If baby is here and v compliant and likely to sleep the whole time then fair enough.

I'd have hated it, and been v upset with my DH, but I had a tricky baby. What I'd have loved would be a lovely picnic at home with some luxury treats, all set up and organised and cleared away, and maybe a half glass of champagne.

Lunch may be a better compromise.

Be prepared to cancel last minute if you do book.

Honestly, changing facilities is the last of your worries. The real question as previous posters say is whether your baby will cooperate (ie sleep) and whether your wife will actually enjoy the dinner. I second the suggestion of lunch - quieter, less likely to annoy others, baby less likely to be cluster feeding, wife less likely to be longing for her bed - and be prepared to cancel.

That all said, 3 weeks is not a bad age to be doing this as they do generally sleep a lot at this age (however some babies will only sleep on a person... so you might have to eat in shifts).

Re restaurants - I have seen a baby this age in Medlar on the Kings Road, it was lunchtime iirc. Plenty of space and no raised eyebrows. Chez Bruce is in Nappy Valley so I bet someone has brought a newborn, though again I suspect at lunchtime.

Erm. You're not that determined if you can't make a simple phone call. [Confused]

Agree - lovely idea and I can see that you are very kern to organise a fantastic special evening, but this is not the year, I'm afraid. I'm 35 weeks pg and the idea of this fills me with horror - to be honest, the idea of doing it now fills me with horror.

Unless of course DW has said she wants to do this? Even then be prepared for her to want to cancel later. A wonderful picnic with some champagne and all her favourite foods would be a fantastic idea and much less likely to be a problem if baby happens to be having a tricky evening.