The River Café hardly needs an introduction. This well-known restaurant is both a celebrity hang-out and a favourite brunch locale for London families.  The prices are high, but the food is so good it’s worth it.  I once read somewhere that the best Italian food in Europe can be found at the River Café — meaning even better than Italy itself. I’m sure that made the Italians angry… and perhaps it was a generous compliment, but the food is really that good.  The restaurant is located on the Thames and has a grassy courtyard separating it from the river. On a sunny day you can sit outside and let your kids run around while you finish your meal.  Otherwise, they have paper and crayons to keep your kids entertained inside.  Perfect for family brunch on the weekend. Just make sure to book well in advance.

The British Museum, founded in 1753, is dedicated to the history of the world’s different cultures. The collection includes a large and impressive section devoted to ancient Egypt, and it is here where you will find the famous Rosetta Stone, treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb, a piece of the Sphinx’s nose, impressive Eqyptian sculptures, and real mummies (which never cease to impress my kids!). We also love the Medieval Europe gallery and the section for Ancient Greece and Rome. The museum is absolutely stunning and certainly worth a visit. It’s also (rather surprisingly) very geared for families with a Children’s Multimedia guide, free activity backpacks and designated family trails. There’s also the Ford Centre for young visitors on the lower floor which has feeding and changing rooms for babies.

Check out the Family Visits section of the website, which lists all the different activities available for children, as well as the Young Explorers page which has online games and other interactive and educational activities.

CONTACT DETAILS:

British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG, United Kingdom
Phone: 020 7323 8000
Open daily from 10:00-17:30

(Image from Flickr)

Sometimes you just feel like eating pizza. So easy, so tasty, so casual… and kids always love it! Rossopomodoro is a Naples-based pizza chain with three locations in London (Chelsea, Covent Garden and Notting Hill). All their ingredients come from the Napolitan region of Campania — even the water used in their pizza dough is rumoured to come from Naples! Pretty impressive for a Pizza chain. They also have highchairs and welcome children — they’re Italian after all.

The Borough Market is not for the crowd-fearing or for the buggy-pushing — its popularity is widespread and it gets crowded! But, if you’re a food lover (and who isn’t?), it is definitely worth visiting. It is London’s largest and most renowned food market with more than 130 food stalls and culinary experts. It has been around (in this very location) for more than 250 years and continues to get better with each passing year. This is where the chefs and well-known restaurateurs can be found on Saturday morning picking from the finest fish, meat, cheese, produce, etc.  Kids will love trying all the samples, checking out all the displays (my kids love the fish stalls!), and taking in the buzz of foodie talk and knowledge.  Just don’t take a buggy if you can avoid it — carry babies in a carrier. And if you can, go on a Thursday or a Friday — Saturdays are insane! Check their website for more info. (Image from Flickr)

CONTACT DETAILS:

Borough Market
8 Southwark Street
London, SE1 1TL
Phone: 020 7407 1002
Open: Thursdays (11am-5pm), Fridays (12pm-6pm), Saturdays (8am-5pm)

The Tricycle Theatre, located in Kilburn (North London), is a publicly subsidized performing arts venue most well known its ground-breaking, politically charged performances. They specialise in presenting plays which reflect and promote the cultural diversity of its community.  The venue includes both a large theatre and a 300-seat cinema as well as smaller studios for workshops and other small plays.  They also have a Children’s Theatre Programme which puts on some of the sweetest little shows for kids, often with the use of puppets, live music, storytelling and singing…and with an added ecological or social message to their stories.  We recently went to see The Three Billy Goats Gruff and it was great fun!

CONTACT DETAILS:

The Tricycle Theatre
269 Kilburn High Road
London NW6 7JR
Phone: 020 7328 1000
Box office 020 7328 1000 | tel: 020 7372 6611 | fax: 020 7328 0795 |

The Hanover Gate playground, located on the west side of Regents Park, has just recently been renovated and now includes two different play areas: a traditional playground for younger children and a new timber tree-house section for older, more adventurous kids. It’s also a great little spot to spend a sunny afternoon because it’s right next to the boating lakes and boat house where you can rent pedal boats (both family-sized and single) and float around, taking in the beauty of the park.  (The children’s boating pond is only open on the weekends and is meant for kids aged 5 and up — they have to be able to reach the pedals.) There’s also a little restaurant in the Boat House with outdoor seating facing the lake. It’s a beautiful setting, especially when the weather is cooperating.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Hanover Gate Playground:
Hanover Gate, Outer Circle
Regents Park
London
NW1 4RL

Boats available April-Sept, every day from 10.30am, closing time varies from month to month, weather permitting. Kid’s mini-boats available on weekends. Cafe open 364 days a year.

View map here.

The playground in Paddington Street Gardens is one of my favourite in Central London.  I love that it’s tucked away off the beaten path in Marylebone, slightly hidden unless you know it’s there. It means that it never usually gets too crowded, and you get the sense that all the kids there are from the neighbourhood. The playground has been recently renovated so all the equipment is new and the grounds are well looked after. In redesigning the playground they did a good job of catering to both babies and bigger kids as they have a variety of toys to play on. Plus, I love when playgrounds are covered in that rubbery flooring — it’s nice for babies to crawl around on, and means safer falling for the older ones.  Not to mention… it’s located just off my favourite street in London — Marylebone High Street. So it’s a great spot to take a break/have lunch/let the kids run around whilst visiting the many great shops on the high street. Just turn off Marylebone High Street onto Moxon street and walk to the end (or you can access the gardens from Paddington Street.) For more details, click here.

The hotel is small but charming, the staff always friendly and the location could not be better — Charlotte Street is lined with one good restaurant after the other, and is located just north of Oxford Street and Soho and within walking distance to many of London’s tourist attractions.

The hotel’s rooms are not big, but the Junior Suites and the Penthouse are definitely big enough for extra beds/cots (at no extra fee). The rooms don’t have kitchens, but all the rooms have minibars and the hotel offers 24-hour room service.  They’re happy to have families and children stay with them, even offering kids a welcome pack upon arrival. And I was just there over the Easter weekend, and they had organized an egg-hunt in their library for all the kids staying there — cute!

The Charlotte Street Hotel is part of the Firmdale Hotel Group which includes other favourites like the Covent Garden Hotel, the Soho Hotel and the Knightsbridge.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The Charlotte Street Hotel
15-17 Charlotte Street
London W1T 1RJ, United Kingdom
Phone: 020 7806 2000

Elias and Grace is a small but well stocked children’s shop located on the main strip in Primrose Hill. This trendy boutique has one of the best selection of clothing brands in London, including all our favourite European brands like  Simple Kids, Quincy, Maan, Album di Famiglia, Petit Bateau, Pepe Shoes, Bonton, etc. Everything is displayed really well (in sections divided by gender) and they do a really good job of creating ‘looks‘, mixing up the different brands and styles. They also have a great online shop, and they ship internationally.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Elias & Grace
158 Regents Park Road
London NW1 8XN, United Kingdom
020 7449 0574

1.) By foot: If you have the luxury of time, the best way to navigate the city is by foot — it gives you a better appreciation for the city and its people and gives you a better idea for how city is laid out and the way the neighborhoods connect to each other.  There are also so many green spaces in London that it’s easy to take a rest from time to time and enjoy the many parks and playgrounds. Just wear comfortable shoes!
2.) London Underground: Taking the ‘tube’ in London might be the quickest way to travel (especially in peak traffic hours), but if you have a buggy you’re probably best to avoid it entirely. Most tube stations have multiple staircases or escalators and only a few have elevators (lifts). Carrying your buggy up and down the stairs is certainly ‘do-able’… it just depends on whether you’re up for it. Click here for a tube map — the stations with lifts are marked with a wheelchair sign.
3.) London Bus: You’re never far from a bus stop in London, and most buses allow buggies (generally up to two at one time). Plus, bigger kids will love sitting on the upper deck (hold on tightly as you climb up!), and it’s a great way to take in London’s scenery, architecture and other little details. Search online for details and routes.
4.) London Black Cab: Taking a taxi is probably the easiest way to travel. Unlike the taxi drivers in many cities, London ‘cabbies’ are really experienced and totally reliable. You can also put your buggy into the back of the cab and leave your child in it – no need to collapse your buggy or wake your sleeping baby! Cabs can fit up to 5 people and most modern black cabs also have a fold-down child restraint in the back seat.
5.) Addison Lee car service: Booking an Addison Lee car is really easy and can be done either online or by phone. This is also a good car service for airport pick-ups or drop-offs. Conveniently, most Addison Lee cars also have two built-in child restraints, so there’s no need for car seats (just make sure to request the appropriate vehicle).

On weekends the Tate hosts family-friendly events and interactive kid zones.  Or you can pick up a family trail sketchbook to keep kids interacted as they tour the museum (available every day of the week).

The gift shop on the bottom floor is WAY cool, and they have a great section of chilren’s books and unique toys. The café on the 2nd floor is also kid-friendly, with highchairs, crayons, etc.  But… the most impressive thing is the view from the restaurant at the top which looks out over the river Thames and offers one of the best views in London. (Even if you don’t eat there, it’s worth going up just to see!)

On a nice day you can make a bigger ‘outing’ of it and visit St. Paul’s Cathedral across the river. Just walk North across the footbridge.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Tate Modern Museum:
Bankside
London SE1 9TG
phone: 020 7887 8888
email: visiting.modern@tate.org.uk

Entry is free except for major exhibitions
Open Sunday – Thursday, 10.00–18.00
Friday and Saturday, 10.00–22.00

Originally designed in 1921 as a prestigious car showroom, the marble flooring, grand pillars, archways and staircases make for a really impressive interior. And while the restaurant isn’t particularly kitted out for children, they do have highchairs to accommodate kids and will make sure you’re well looked after.

After brunch, you can take a stroll through Green Park, or walk down St. James’s Street to Buckingham Palace, The Mall and St. James Park for a fun little London outing.

Make sure you book in advance!

The Wolseley
160 Piccadilly
London W1J 9EB
United Kingdom
020 7499 6996

Wahaca is a vibrant and buzzing restaurant serving freshly prepared, seasonal Mexican food.  The menu is great, the staff is friendly, and they are well-equipped to accomodate kids! (You should see their collection of brightly-coloured Stokke highchairs!)

There are three locations across London including one in Covent Garden. And they don’t take reservations, so you can pop in whenever you want (and the queue moves quickly, I promise!).

Wahaca Mexican Restaurant:
66 Chandos Place
Covent Garden
London, WC2N 4HG
T: +44 (0) 207 240 1883
E: coventgarden@wahaca.co.uk

Opening times
Mon-Sat: 12pm – 11pm
Sun: 12pm – 10:30pm

Yesterday I met a friend at the lovely Gracelands Café on College Road, and I’m kicking myself for not having discovered it sooner! It’s a charming, kid-friendly café with big windows to make it bright, big wooden tables to make it cozy, and, rather impressively, a kitchen serving really good food! (I took all three kids to lunch, and managed to actually enjoy myself.)

They have a small, well-contained play area, plenty of highchairs, and all the necessary kiddie utensils. They also have outdoor seating in the front and a lovely patio out back.   And, in addition to the café, they offer classes and workshops for kids and adults in the two rooms behind the café, a space they call Gracelands Yard.

Check their site for more info, and click here for a map.

This small but charming shop is chock full of children’s toys, clothes and accessories. Not your normal mass-market toys, but the sort of things that will inspire you to spruce up your children’s toy basket or run home and redecorate the nursery. It’s the perfect place to find a unique birthday gift, a piece of art to cover a bare wall, or even vintage chairs, globes and toys for your home.

You’ll find Djeco toys, Katvig clothes, Rice accessories, and the list goes on. And there’s something about the way it’s all displayed that makes you really notice the attention to detail and the heartfelt selection. A really lovely neighborhood shop that makes you wish you lived in the neighborhood…

Olive Loves Alfie
84 Stoke Newington Church Street
London N16 OAP
Tel: +44 (0) 0207 241 4212
Email: info@olivelovesalfie.co.uk

Open:
Monday-Friday 09:30-17:30
Saturday: 10:00-18:00
Sunday: 12:00-17:00