When my daughter was three I took her to a well-known chain with reputation for welcoming children. Having ordered from the children’s menu I was surprised that her normally healthy appetite had deserted her. “The food’s not nice Dad.” I tasted - it was execrable. The reaction on complaining was of great surprise - how could a three year old tell whether food is rubbish! We’ve not been back.

Eating out is now part of how we live and much more accessible than in my youth. From the point where children are old enough to behave themselves in a restaurant taking them out to eat should be not just a treat but part of their education. Their real life education that is - which is about more than books. But what are they offered?

Far too often children’s menus serve up chicken nuggets, chips, frozen pizza and limitless fizzy pop. No wonder so many kids seem intent on charging around eateries when they are fuelled by sugar on tap. A sensible children’s menu is just the menu - only smaller. A menu should have enough real choice to enable everyone to participate in the meal.

“Timmy will only eat pizza/pasta/chicken nuggets” is a strange argument for junk on children’s menus. Who does the weekly shopping in these households? Does little Timmy drive to the supermarket? Does Timmy pay at the checkout? I think not. 

I feel sorry for children whose parents can’t cook real food or can’t be bothered to learn. When I was young I remember going out to a restaurant as being a great treat because it was different and because it was a grown up thing to do. I wasn’t anywhere brilliant, only what my Father could afford, but we sat at the table and talked and ordered from the same menu.

Here are five venues that genuinely enable families to dine together and for children to try new things.

 

The Crooked Billet

Stoke Row 01491 681048

Sunday lunch at the cooked billet is always a treat and, if your family is plural, probably one for a special occasion. Nonetheless, in a land where dismal carveries are ten a penny, this is THE place where children can learn how good a roast lunch can be. The children’s’ menu is simply portions of the day’s menu scaled down - though not by much, get what they leave wrapped to take home! £14.95 for two courses.

 

Wagamama

The Oracle Riverside (and thousands of locations worldwide)

Any family that eat out want standards they can find anywhere. Wagamama operate a consistently edible standard from Manchester to Melbourne. True to their founding ethos they offer a children’s twist on their pan-asian noodle menu based on fresh flavours. Mini chicken katsu £3.95, grilled fish noodle (John Dory) £4.25, ice cream £1.05, juices £1.45 - all rather good and excellent value.

 

Kyrenia

Prospect Street, Caversham 0118 947 6444

Again, no specific children’s menu here, but Meze are great ways of introducing new tastes to open minded children. There is always plenty to share from a standard meze that many adults struggle get anywhere near finishing or try lunchtime mini mezes at £7.95 with the children.

 

Bel and the Dragon

Gasworks Road, Reading. 01189 515790

Another option for a celebration Sunday lunch or other special occasion. There’s no children’s menu as such - just smaller portions from the main menu for an excellent £5.95 despite the Bel’s reputation for being pricey. At this riverside setting children can also take in museum displays from the Kennet and Avon canal’s history.  Reading’s is one of four of a chainette (others at Cookham, Windsor and Godalming) and is rated by customers posting reviews (as well as this reviewer) as the best of the bunch.

 

Carluccio’s

Forbury Square, Reading (and 38 other locations, mainly in the South East) 0118 958 3095  

Increasingly ubiquitous though it maybe, the Carluccio’s chain of Italian deli-cafes still provides a place where adults and children and easily co-exist without resorting to lard-laden pizza. In fact not a pizza in sight on a good value £5.95 children’s menu, largely pasta based, or alternatively other dished are available in smaller portions if you ask. The Reading café does face painting on Sundays - mainly for children, but I’m sure if you ask…