Best Family Restaurants In London
Dining out isn't just for the grown ups: the best London restaurants for kids and families, from cheap and cheerful to the finest of dining
Under tens eat free at Hix Soho
Hix Soho rightly has a reputation as being a high-end, central London restaurant, serving some of super-chef Mark Hix's most upmarket dishes, but there's a little-known bonus for families. From 4-6pm in the week, and from 12pm-6pm at weekends, children under ten eat free from a menu that includes Hix's signature smoked salmon and fillet of hake, as well as more traditional dishes like fish fingers and chips or a burger. Which means that, hopefully, everyone will appreciate this particular Hix fix.
Dishes for little foodies at Tredwell's
You're unlikely to find too many children inside Marcus Wareing's two-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Berkeley, but his more laid-back Covent Garden outpost, Tredwell's, welcomes small ones with open arms. Although the eight-course tasting menu aimed specifically at young foodies isn't being offered at the moment – it may yet return – there are dishes here for the alliteratively minded, such as 'fabulous fish cake with tangy tartar sauce', 'juicy chicken breast with crispy chicken skin' and 'pretty pineapple with coconut mousse'. Adults may relish the good-value prix fixe menu at £22 for two courses and £26 for three.
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From breakfast through to dinner at Tom's Kitchen
Continuing the tradition of superstar chefs offering top-notch family offerings, Tom Aikens' casual group of restaurants, Tom's Kitchen, really excel with their all-day children's menus. Breakfast includes healthy options (fresh fruit skewers) and more unhealthy ones (chopped sausage and baked beans). The lunch and dinner choices offer the usual delights, although parents might try and push their brood towards the grated apple yoghurt with sultanas rather than the (delicious) profiteroles.
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La Famiglia – need we say more?
The name – Italian for 'the family', if that wasn't obvious – says it all, but the late Alvaro Maccioni's much-loved Chelsea restaurant specialises in top-notch Italian cuisine that is, quite literally, like mamma used to make. Children are doted on here, regardless of their age, and there's a decent selection of pasta dishes that should appeal to small ones; adults, meanwhile, can enjoy some of the top-notch fish and meat. There's also the chance to spot one of the many Chelsea celebrities who pop in regularly, from the cast of Made In Chelsea to the likes of Bryan Ferry and Felicity Kendal.
find out more about La Famiglia
Wahack a piñata at Wahaca
We had to include one high street group, and it was a toss up between this and the ever-reliable Byron. However, what gives Thomasina Miers' group of Mexican restaurants the edge is how dedicated they are to making the experience a fun one for families. This means that children are encouraged to try miniature versions of the items on the menu, such as quesadillas, tostadas and tacos, and are even allowed to make their own burritos. It can get messy, but that's part of the fun. The restaurants also host regular family-focused events, including Wahaca Discovery Days, which offer an insightinto Mexican life and culture, as well as storytelling and the chance for children to make their own piñata.
