Croma, Manchester
Pretty much all kids love pizza and most parents will sing the praises of Pizza Express for ease, staff friendliness and their pizza-making parties. However, if you fancy something a little more gourmet, try a crispy aromatic duck or Caesar salad pizza at Croma. The kids' menu doubles up as a handy colouring sheet (crayons provided), so children can play while they decide whether they'd prefer lasagne or a four-inch pizza with soft drink and ice-cream for £4.95. A huge light feature supporting the central staircase is also the source of much fascination - as the number of little finger prints will attest.
· 1 Clarence Street, Manchester, M2 (tel: 0161-237 9799). Children's menu: £4.95. Average adult spend: £13.50. House wine: from £9.95.
Blue Kangaroo, London
It would be difficult to find somewhere more committed to providing fun for kids and good food for everyone than this Chelsea eaterie. Owner Tony Hugdrup was formerly in corporate finance but after the birth of his first child decided that London needed somewhere both he and the children could go for a good time.
The Blue Kangaroo is a ground floor restaurant and frenetic basement playground equipped with soft play-areas for babies and toddlers, and play-frames and slides for three to eight- year-olds. The idea is you relax over a meal while watching the kids on plasma TV screens having fun downstairs. There's also a café below deck but beware the noise level.
All food is freshly made with children's dishes including salmon fishcakes, pizza, fish goujons and sausages and mash. Adults enjoy similar but slightly more sophisticated fare with daily specials such as calves' liver with white wine sauce, leek mash and caramelised onions.
· 55 King's Road, London, SW6 (tel: 020-7371 7622, thebluekangaroo.co.uk).
Play area: from £2.80-£4.50 per child. Children's menu: £4.95 (with a drink). Average spend per adult: £22 (with wine)
House wine: £2.50 glass/£9.95 bottle. Weekly activities including balloon modelling, singing and dancing every Thursday, 10am-noon.
Fishworks Cafes, Bristol
Lots of kids turn their noses up at fish, but Fishworks offers a child-friendly menu reasonably priced at £4.95. While you feast on moules and oysters, kids can tuck into fishcakes, fish fingers and spaghetti, or staff are willing to do small portions of most things on the menu. The Bristol branch has an open kitchen and TV screens to enable a good view of kitchen activity. It's also possible to view what's on sale at the attached fishmonger from inside the restaurant which may prove interesting for some.
· 128 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2RS (tel: 0117 974 4433, fishworks.co.uk; also branches in Bath, Dorset and London). Children's menu: £4.95. Average spend per adult: £35 (with wine).
The Fine Burger Company, London
There are some days when nothing but burgers will satisfy. If this is the case, then at least go for a quality. At The Fine Burger Company the emphasis is on fresh ingredients with beef burgers made only from Aberdeen Angus beef, home-made relishes and chunky hand cut chips. Families are presented with an array of crayons, colouring books and stencils on arrival and there is a special children's menu of a 4oz beef, chicken, fish or veggie burger with chips and salad for a reasonable £4.95. Children's size milkshakes and fresh orange juice are £1.50. Look out for free face-painting on the last Saturday of every month and until the end of the month, kids eat for free with any adult burger bought between noon and 7pm. There's also no smoking until 7pm.
· 37 Bedford Hill, Balham, London, SW12 (tel: 020-8772 0266) and 256 Muswell Hill Broadway, N10 (tel: 0208 815 9292). Children's menu: £4.95. Average spend per adult: £10-£12. Wine: from £11.50.
The Starr Inn, North Yorkshire
This one-Michelin-starred pub (with rooms) is about as close to a fairytale cottage as you'll find and the perfect place for children with culinary aspirations. Since having their own children (Daisy, age 5 and Tilly, age 3), owners Andrew and Jacquie Pern have gone out of their way to welcome younger guests into what is also their home. There is no specific children's menu with the emphasis on adjusting portion sizes and dishes to fit the desires of the child. A starter of bubble and squeak soup and mains of duck sausages with curly kale colcannon and home-made baked beans or white pig casserole with baked apples should appeal. There's also a large (2.5 acres) garden and six Highland cattle out back and, if you're a regular, access to a pool. Children are welcomed into the kitchen for a look around.
· Harome, Near Helmsley, North Yorkshire (tel: 01439 770397, thestaratharome.co.uk). Children's meal: around half adult prices. Average spend per adult: £25-£30 (without wine). Pint of beer: £2.20/ Wine: £4 (glass)/from £12.50 (bottle).
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Oxford
If you want your kids to have an experience of a lifetime, then Le Manoir is the place to go. Not only are there extensive grounds for playtime but father, chef and proprietor Raymond Blanc has devised a three-course menu especially for the little darlings. Starters include soups, prawn cocktail and assorted cheeses and grapes, while mains offer croque monsieur, home-made pasta and chicken kiev. Floating island is always a popular dessert and all food is organic.
· Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford (tel: 01844 278881, manoir.com). Children's menu: £16 (three courses), three-course menu du jour (lunch only Monday-Friday) from £45. Wines: from £21.
Henderson's, Edinburgh
This self-service restaurant, bistro, shop and wine bar focuses on two things: a relaxed atmosphere and healthy eating. It's totally vegetarian and most food is locally produced with an emphasis on organic. It's also a no-go area for GM products, preservatives and pesticides. More than that, Henderson's is a "nugget-free zone" as one mother tired of the same old children's fare pointed out. A half portion of any hot dish from the day's menu (croquettes, vegetable crumbles and lasagne), a couple of salad options or a homemade pizza plus a half-portion dessert, homebaked cake square or piece of fruit and fresh juice costs only £3.95. Colouring sheets, crayons and toys are freely available and food intolerances are well catered for.
· 94 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 (0131-225 2131, hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk). Children's menu: £3.95.
Average spend per adult: £9 (with alcoholic drink).
Wines: from £3 (glass)/£10.50 (bottle).
King's Head, Norfolk
Not glamorous, but certainly family-friendly - so much so it has been consistently voted family pub of the year by a number of trade publications. Chief attraction is a children's size castle in the large and attractive garden, equipped with slides, poles, ramps and passages. There are also bikes and mini-see-saws on hand and children's-sized tables and chairs should the little ones choose to dine alone. Inside there is colouring-in equipment, table-football, an ultra-violet pool table (special glowing nail varnish supplied) and a children's game machine.
Owner David Watts is generally at the door to welcome everyone while his two sons mingle on weekends. One of his son's (Joe, age 10) favourites on the extensive children and baby's menu is burger and chips, but there's plenty of choice with 90% of ingredients locally produced. There's even a children's (non-alcoholic) cocktail list - kidditails (from £1.40) - and a breast-feeding area to come.
· Holt Road, Letheringsett, Norfolk (tel: 01263 712691, letheringsettkingshead.co.uk).
Children's menu: around £4-£5.
Average spend per adult: around £7 (without drinks).
Wine from £8.18 (bottle).
Wagamama, nationwide
If the kid's have to eat now, then the fast but healthy food offered at Wagamama's is perfect. Children under 10 can choose from a range of mini-options including chicken and sweetcorn ramen (£2.75), negima noodle - chargrilled chicken with soba noodles (£3.95) - or a veggie option (£3.60). Drinks wise, you can sip on a sake while the kids guzzle a range of freshly squeezed juices, while chocolate wasabi fudge cake (£3.95) normally proves a hit for dessert.
· Locations: London, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, St Albans, Glasgow, Guilford (wagamama.com).
Children's menu: from £2.75.
Average spend per adult: £12-£15. Wine: from £2.95 (glass)/£10.35 (bottle).
