It’s not easy to find good hamburgers in London. Unless you go to Byron.

Byron is a proper hamburger joint, hoping to ‘do a simple thing, and do it properly’. They source good meat from Scotland, mince it fresh every day, and then cook it medium so it’s pink and juicy. They then place it in a soft, squishy bun with minimum fuss and fanfare, and ’serve it with a smile’. I love that.  They also serve great milkshakes, good French fries and other sides, and have a kids menu.  Byron now has several locations across London, so check their site to see which one is nearest to you.

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.

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)

I tease my husband that one of his requirements when picking a new place of employment is that there is a Konditor & Cook within walking distance. (There are 6 locations in London and my husband has worked near to 3 of them.) Their wonderful cakes and pastries are his (not so secret) indulgence and I can’t blame him — I am yet to taste something that K&C has to offer which doesn’t blow me away. Every cake, muffin, croissant is melt-in-the-mouth heaven.

Konditor & Cook was started by German-born Gerhard Jenne, who studied to be a ‘Konditor’ (pastry chef) in Germany before coming here and learning to be a ‘cook’ in London. Other than tasting good, Gerhard’s cakes look the part too and can be customised for any occasion (I love these mini-wedding cakes pictured). He has even written a book on how to decorate Wacky Cakes & Kooky Cookies. Everything the team bakes or cooks uses organic free-range eggs and natural butter, and if you need your whistle wetting further you can see their menu here.

Konditor & Cook have shops in Soho, Borough Market, Waterloo, Chancery Lane, The Gherkin and on the South Bank. Click here for full details.

Mo. x

Two years ago our Christmas got canceled on Christmas Eve — well the trip we had planned to Switzerland did anyway. It was our first Christmas with a child and you know how important they are! We were devastated. I think the only thing that saved us was Melrose & Morgan, our local deli in Primrose Hill (where we lived at the time). We turned up at 12pm to a packed store of everyone collecting their orders and they thankfully managed to make us up one of their ‘Christmas’s in a box’. It honestly saved the day.

But Melrose & Morgan is not just for Christmas, their fantastic home-cooked meals are perfect to take home, heat up and make you look like a domestic goddess. Sadly my better-half isn’t easily fooled – Melrose & Morgan’s food is just that bit too delicious for him to believe it was made by me whilst I had 2 children hanging off my arms.

Each day the kitchen prepares a different menu using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Additionally they have a range of staples including their home-made pies, freshly baked bread, mouth-wateringly delicious cheeses and sweet treats for every occasion. I keep one of their pies and some of their home-made ice cream in my freezer for those “its 6.45pm, there’s nothing to eat in the house and the kids are going crazy” evenings (of which we tend to have 4 a week).

I’m not big on branded merchandise but my one exception is Melrose & Morgan’s mugs, aprons and my favourite canvas shopping bags with their simple red font spelling evocative foodie words such as ‘picnic’, ‘cheese’ and ‘custard’ (I love that one in particular!).

Melrose and Morgan:
42 Gloucester Avenue
London, NW1 8JD
Phone: 020 7722 0011
Nearest tube Chalk Farm or Camden

I’m a huge fan of Swedish kids clothes shop P.OP (Polarn O Pyret) which sells playful and colourful kids clothes and a small selection of maternity wear. Think lots of stripes and lots of colour. They have 4 shops in and around London (Brent Cross, Westfield, House of Fraser (Oxford Street) and Kingston) but a further 10 or so stores around the rest of the UK.

Next up: Zara Home (no, not Zara Kids): A very small selection but I love their quilts and blankets for kids and they always have a tiny rail with really sweet sleep-wear/snuggly-wear. I have had some great finds there.

I find so many good kids birthday presents from Paperchase particularly these children’s writing sets, which are so sweetly designed. They often do melamine plates and trays and sets of fun snackpots, which are perfect for kids’ dinner time and eating on the go.

Long before having children I had a bit of a Muji-addiction. I always find something there — it certainly indulges my stationery habit. It is also a great place to head for souvenirs as they do these sweet little bags of miniature wooden cities and London transport (black cabs, red buses) in a bag (but I’ve only seen these in-store not on-line). What some may not know about Muji though is that they are great for (what I like to call) ‘fat-tops’ — cleverly designed tops that fall over your bump during pregnancy or, as in my case, my post-baby chocolate-bump. Note there is usually more of a selection in store then online.

On this subject I do love Comptoir des Cotonniers – very flattering clothes! Quite a bit pricier then Gap but really very lovely (also have a tiny ‘girls’ collection from age 6 — I’m seriously wishing the years away so my daughter is old enough for it, cute! cute!) Feel a bit of a cheat with this one though as it’s originally a Parisian brand.

A great stop for well-designed toys and kid’s furnishings is Habitat. Their wooden London Bus is a long-running classic but I also love some of their newer toys like the Tito (pictured here). They also do fab bits and pieces for a kids room — we recently got a bright red wagon for storing toys in, which we love.

Last but not least, if you happen to be passing The White Company (or The Little White Company) then it’s always worth popping in. I particularly like their pyjamas but they also do cashmere baby cardies and classic toys and nursery decoration.

All that shopping might make you hungry and on a London High Street you are never far away from a Carluccio’s (Italian), Wagamama’s (Japanese) or Giraffe (International) — which are all well set-up for kids. If sushi is your thing, then I adore Itsu, but it’s not so buggy /high-chair friendly. For a sandwich-on-the-go … you can’t beat Pret-a-Manger (who now do cute kids bags).

They have stores in Dulwich & Covent Garden (which would be perfect if you happen to be taking a trip to Benjamin Pollocks as per my last post), but they are also sold in some pretty lovely other places: Liberty, Selfridges, Fortum & Mason (to name but a few) and of course you can buy them online from their site. I find the Miss Hope’s Jolly Mixture a very exciting treat and the Sugar free Gummy Bears a good one to ensure the children don’t bounce off the ceiling with too much sugar!

CONTACT DETAILS:

Hope & Greenwood
Covent Garden
1 Russell Street
London WC2B 5JD

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.

It was voted the best leisure centre in London by TimeOut guide in 2008, and for good reason.  But it also deserves a mention for its incredibly kid-friendly atmosphere and programs… ranging from swimming lessons, ballet, basketball, etc.  Toddler’s World classes are offered twice a week, and the soft-play area is opened all week long. On a rainy day in London the Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre can be a savior.

There’s also a library adjacent to the leisure centre with a great kid’s section filled with toys and games.  And inside the centre is a very kid-friendly café with a relaxed atmosphere and decent food (good brunch on the weekends).

One of our favorite things to do on a rainy weekend is to head over to the centre for an hour in the teaching pool during the family swim hours, and then a lazy brunch afterward.

Kenwood House is located at the top of London’s Hampstead Heath park and is one of my favorite places to go for brunch on a weekend.  Not only does Kenwood House boast sumptuous interiors and important paintings by many great artists (Rembrandt, Turner, Vermeer, etc.), it also has an impressive café/restaurant with one of the best ‘English Breakfasts’ in London.  They also make, in my opinion, the best hot chocolate in the city — it’s worth the walk up there just for a sip!

In nice weather you can sit outside at one of the many picnic tables set in their beautiful garden and enjoy some of the best views of London.  They also have plenty of highchairs and changing tables in the bathrooms, and kids can run freely around the garden area, or join the queue of other children waiting to buy an ice cream from the café!

Hampstead Heath is truly worth a visit if you’re in town, and a walk finishing at Kenwood House will be the icing on the cake of the whole experience!

Belgo is one such restaurant… where you can walk from the rainy streets of London straight into a Belgian world of traditional (and tasty) mussels, frites and hundreds of Belgium’s best beers.

There’s nothing really fancy about it, but the food is good and the atmosphere is authentic. And what’s more? It’s extremely kid-friendly with loads of highchairs and a kid’s menu which includes a mini pot of mussels and an activity kit. And, want the best news? Kids eat completely free!