london restaurant suggestions

[velrox]

Well, thanks to all your suggestions, we almost have our August trip to the UK completely planned. We need help with one more aspect of the trip. In addition to a night in York, (Betty's), 2 nights at the Augill Castle, and maybe one night in Warwick, we are doing 9 nights in London. We are staying in Kensington, but we do not have to eat solely in Kensington. Please send all suggestions for family friendly restaurants

My boys are 5 1/2 and 9 and are well behave, but they are still kids, if you know what I mean. They do eat other things besides chicken fingers and french fries (chips) though and like to try new foods.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[jockey]

There is a rain forest cafe in London but a fav of ours is Wagamamas, it a noodle type place but serves excellent food and the staff are brill.

Check out the details at www.wagamama.com

 

[j9000]

There is a rain forest cafe in London but a fav of ours is Wagamamas, it a noodle type place but serves excellent food and the staff are brill.

Check out the details at www.wagamama.com

i go to a film festival every august in london, and i always end up at Wagamamas at least once during the festival. Its really nice and quick, there is one on norris street which is always very good (and quiet) which is near Leicester square (not the one on the square) and Piccadilly circus.

if you venture into China Town Tokyo Diner is quite nice, but along the lines of Wagamama food wise (just a little more traditional and less stylised) food can be a little cool sometimes, and its VERY cramped, delicious though!

Ping pong dim sum on great Marlborough street is nice but VERY expensive for what it is, though your kids might be a little young for it.

if youre in london for a while, the food area in camden market might be somewhere to try for lunch (markets close about 6), lots of different flavours and cuisines, plus you can wander the markets, food area is just past the market hall on the left after you cross the canal walking up camden high street. when you find it, you will know, just wander round properly before deciding! fyi, alot of the market traders are closed beginning of the week

 

[ScotScroogeMcDuck]

The planet hollywood is new and very central (although not as well themed as the US planet hollywood restaurants) and would recommend Hard Rock Cafe above it if you're looking for a burger theme.

I'd recommend China town the food is good (if you like chinese!) and is very cheap - as you walk through it you'll get a feel for the nice (ahem, maybe reader clean ones!).

One decent one to try is if you walk down the Thames river try walking down the north side through Wapping towards canary wharf, about half way between the 2 there is a gordon Ramsay gastro-pub which you can normally get a booking for. It's steak & pie type but very good.

There are 2 others I'd recommend if you can push the boat out, the first is the Ivy (you will need to book now and take whatever reservation you can get) it's where a lot of celebs go to and costs about £120 for 2 people 3 courses and abottle of wine. Alternatively (and more expensive) is Rhodes 24, it's in one of the tallest buildings in London and you will have a stunning view (alternatively the Oxo tower is good for views too).

Hope the ramblings help!

 

[velrox]

The suggestions are great. Keep them coming. Being from NY, living in Massachusetts, and a family that travels to Disney a lot, we are quite familiar with Hard Rock, Planet Hollywood and Rain Forest. If we get nostalgic for a good burger dinner, we know where to go. We are hoping to try lots of other types of food. I know that Indian is popular in London, but wouldn't know where to look. Any good Italian restaurants? family friendly pubs?

 

[A Small World]

If you want to eat in Kensington theres a very nice Italian restaurant on Kensington High St - sorry cant remember what its called though

 

[Disneymad]

Bodeans is really great if you like a nice meat feast and has a relaxed atmosphere and is quite loud naturally so don't have to worry about the kids too much in that respect. They also have a good daytime deal called 'Pig out on a tenner' - bargain! I linked to the one in Soho (just off Oxford St) but they have a couple of other places about town too.

 

[Dimplenose]

I love this place in Covent Garden

Porters Covent Garden

Not an entertaining restaurant as Rain Forest Cafe is but still fairly relaxed. Lots of traditional English food with a childrens menu that isn't all chicken nuggets and chips.

 

[natalielongstaff]

we had a very nice meal in Giraffe

http://www.giraffe.net/

 

[ScotScroogeMcDuck]

Yeah, agree Porters at Covent Garden is good. Brick Lane is the traditional Indian street with lots to choose from, it can look quite intimidating at night but the food is excellent. I'd recommend the Clifton Restaurant, always left there wanting to go straight back.

 

[Dollyrar]

The Camden Kitchen (On Camden High Street) and Mr Wu's chinese buffet on Shaftesbury Avenue were my favourite places to eat when I lived in London. I would actually avoid the Rainforest Cafe in London, as its one of the poorer ones that I've been to.

 

[velrox]

Yeah, agree Porters at Covent Garden is good. Brick Lane is the traditional Indian street with lots to choose from, it can look quite intimidating at night but the food is excellent. I'd recommend the Clifton Restaurant, always left there wanting to go straight back.

Which Clifton Restaurant is this? When I looked it up, there were several restaurants under the Clifton restaurant group, with at least two on Brick Lane.