Refreshments with Babies & Toddlers

Zizzi's - Bournemouth

2009-09-25T10:10:00.014+01:00

Last weekend was very sunny so we decided to head to the seaside. After a walk along the sea front we headed towards town for our lunch. Henry was getting hungry. We decided to go to Zizzi's Italian Pizza and Pasta Restaurant.
We were given the opportunity to choose our table so we chose one near to the cooking area so Henry could be nosey and watch the chefs make the pizzas.
We ordered Henry's lunch straight away. The children's menu is excellent, it is called the Bambini menu, which includes dough sticks for starter, a choice of main course and ice cream for dessert, all for £5.95. Excellent value. A bit too much food for a 1 year old but excellent value for a 7 year old.

The restaurant was soon busy but the staff still managed to keep to a reasonable standard of service.
I did think that the tables were a little small for 4 people to enjoy a meal comfortably, we did end up moving the condiments and wine glasses out of the way to make room.

Overall I give Zizzi's a 3.5* out of a possible 5*

I found the service to be a little slow and the waitress was not sure if the changing facilities were available when I first asked.
Access: Plenty of space to place your pushchair when you have unloaded but if you had to leave your baby in the pushchair I think it would be a bit of a squeeze.
Welcome: Average service.
Cleanliness: The baby changing room did eventually open, otherwise we were told to change Henry's nappy on the sofas upstairs. This would not have been very pleasant.
Highchairs: Plenty of highchairs, the nice wooden ones that bring Henry right up to the table.
Coffee, Cake & Children's menu: Excellent children's menu, great value even for older children. Craig even allowed Henry to try his ice-cream this time.

We finished our trip to the seaside by building sand castles, whilst Henry enjoyed knocking them down.

Cottonbudz - Rodley, Leeds

2009-09-15T17:05:00.011+01:00

A fabulous children's adventure and soft play centre. If only we had one as nice as this in Wiltshire. If you find yourself in the Rodley area of Leeds one day and your toddler or young child wants to let off some steam then head straight to Cottonbudz. It's great. It is not really built for large children and I believe there is an age restriction, it is perfect for the little ones to enjoy climbing without been barged over by a big 10 year old.
The centre has a large play area which has climbing frames, slides and ball pools. A smaller area for the small and less mobile little ones to play in. Nice tables scattered around the centre so that where ever you are sat you can see your child. A great menu for lunch, drinks and best of all home made cakes!
The facilities are well thought through, a small junior toilet, plenty of little steps for toddlers to reach the toilet and a large baby changing area. Wipes and nappy bags are also available.

You can visit their website at www.cottonbudz.co.uk

There is also a great little children's shop just around the corner for those special treats. www.thelittlehencompany.com

Overall I give Cottonbudz a fabulous 5* out of a possible 5
Access: Great, plenty of parking too.
Welcome: Everyone is made to feel very welcome.
Cleanliness: A very high standard of cleanliness is kept all through the day. There are plenty of facilities for toddler and baby. I love the nice touches, baby wipes and nappy bags are provided.
Highchairs: There are plenty or highchairs available and toddler chairs.
Coffee & Cake: The menu is great for lunch, nice sandwiches, jacket potatoes. The children's menu has a great selection too. The cakes, you must try the cakes, they are home made.

Slug & Lettuce - Salisbury

2009-09-15T15:29:00.010+01:00

I never thought I'd have lunch with Henry in what used to be a place where I'd drink pint after pint of Peroni. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, we all needed lunch. We intended to have a picnic but the weather wasn't helping. After thinking where can we go we decided to check if the Slug and Lettuce had high chairs, to our surprise they did. Wow. I'd love a large Peroni!
Henry is now at an age where we can easily choose him something from the children's menu that he will be happy with. Although he won't eat it all it saves us relying on taking a pack lunch for him every time we head out for the day. The children's menu is very well priced and has a good selection. A drink and dessert is also included. Craig enjoyed Henry's 5alive and his portion of chocolate ice cream. Henry enjoyed his battered fish, chips and peas. He loves peas!
A waitress will come to the table to take your order, the atmosphere is very pleasant and it does seem to be popular with families within your children. There is plenty of room for your high chair and pushchair if you need it to be near your table.
It's a shame we have found this lunch location after my maternity leave!
Overall I give the Slug and Lettuce a 3.5* out of a possible 5.
Access: Very large doors and plenty of room to move the pushchair around the tables.
Welcome: Not bad, considering it's a pub/wine bar I thought the welcome was okay.
Cleanliness: Okay, average. The baby changing is downstairs in the disabled toilet, it's a very large room so there is plenty of space for a pushchair if you needed to wee whilst your baby slept. You can't leave your bundle of joy outside if you're lunching alone.
Highchairs: Very good, it is the wooden ones so Henry is nice and close to the table.
Coffee & Cake: I think I should change this heading now to "children menu", I'll think about it. I did not have the coffee or cake. I would have loved a nice cool refreshing pint but I resisted. Craig did say that the ice cream was nice.

Pizza Hut - Amesbury Solistice Park

2009-08-26T20:13:00.012+01:00

On the 2nd August we met friends Victoria and Alex for lunch at Pizza Hut in Solistice Park near Amesbury. We booked the table on line to make sure we could get a table as sometimes Pizza Huts can be so busy. When we arrived our table was decorated with balloons and a high chair for Henry was already in place. My first impressions are very good, it was unusually clean and smelt fresh. Those that have been to a Pizza Hut will know that they can be grubby and have thier own unique odour.
Victoria decorated Henry a hat as we chatted about their holiday and decided which pizza we were going to order. We took so long but we did not feel rushed, the waiting staff enjoyed the smiles given by Henry.

We all commented on how impressed we were with the staff and the service. I will definitely return to this Pizza Hut.
The changing facilities are very roomy and clean, as usual you can find the change table in the disabled toilet.
The restaurant atmosphere is very friendly, nobody seemed to mind that Henry was very vocal that day, laughing with Victoria and running around after the balloons. He had just started walking a week earlier so he was keen to get down from his chair and stretch his legs.

Overall I will give this Pizza Hut a 4.5* out of a possible 5.
Access: Great, large wide entrance with automatic doors, great for wheelchair users and pushchair pushers.
Welcome: Very good, and it is great that you can book on line. Balloons and crayons are provided for children.
Cleanliness: Excellent, is this a new Pizza Hut?
High Chairs: Basic high chairs, it's a shame they don't have the nice wooden ones that bring the babies closer to the table.
Coffee & Cake: Coffee should have been better as it was Costa, but I was disappointed. Nobody had pudding as we ate too much pizza.

Table for 10 @ Wagamama Salisbury

2009-06-24T18:40:00.011+01:00

A group of ladies who lunch with their babies descended upon Wagamama in Salisbury today. Luckily it was fairly quiet so we did not have to wait for a table. The only question was, did they have enough high chairs to accommodate us all?
The restaurant feels very big and airy, with a lovely relaxed atmosphere. All of the tables and surrounding areas are very clean to a high standard.
Most of the little ones ate their lunch whilst we ate ours. The high chairs are great they click onto the table so the little ones feel so big and grown up eating at the table with their mummies.

It was all just a little too much excitement for little Oliver!

Over all I give Wagamama 4* out of a possible 5.
Access: Great, there is even a large area to park pushchairs out of the way so we do not take up the space between the tables.
Welcome: Good, even with 5 babies
Cleanliness: Very good, the changing facilities are very clean!
High Chairs: Trendy and great for getting the children right up at the table where the action is.
Coffee & Cake: Nobody had desert or coffee on this occasion, but I did enjoy the soya beans again.

The Harvester Pub

2009-06-14T14:28:00.008+01:00

Within the passed few months we have visited a couple of Harvester Pubs for lunch. We had lunch by the sea at Bournemouth, Sunday lunch in Salisbury and more recently we had lunch in the Harvester in Boscombe.
The menu is very traditional and very good value for money. With every main meal ordered you get unlimited salad bar. Which offers great little finger foods for Henry.
The service isn't bad, I would say that we got the better service at Boscombe and the worst service in our hometown of Salisbury.

Overall I give the Harvester Pubs 4* out of a possible 5

Access: We did not have any trouble getting in and around either of the Harvester pubs.
Welcome: As pubs go I would say that the welcome is very good.
Cleanliness: The high chairs, tables and surrounding areas are to an average standard. Baby changing is available and are of an average standard.
High Chairs: Always plenty of high chairs available, two types one that is an attachment to an adult chair and the other is the usual standard chair.
Coffee & Cake: The dessert menu looks good and you can get a free ice-cream if you download a voucher from the Harvester website.

Tootsies - Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays

2009-05-04T19:02:00.000+01:00

Over the bank holiday we decided to take the train to Portsmouth. We have a direct route that only takes about an hour and 20 minutes. Henry seems to enjoy his trips on the trains. After a pleasant journey we arrived at our destination. Just a short walk from the station we arrived at the shopping precinct. There are shops to suit all pockets, deep or sown up!
Another reason for going there was to have a walk around the harbour area and to see the Spinnaker Tower a recent addition to the sky line of Portsmouth. We wandered around looking at the boats for a good hour to allow Henry his morning nap.

It was soon time to decide where we should have lunch, there are many places to chose from. Craig fancied a grill as we have been to a number of Italian restaurants recently. We found Tootsies, the menu was appealing, the staff found us a good table with plenty of space. The high chair was an extension to a normal chair which enabled Henry to sit closer to the table to eat his lunch.
After lunch it was time for the usual clean-ups. The baby changing room was in the disabled toilet, the area was nice and clean.
Our visit to this part of Portsmouth will definitely encourage us to visit again. We had a great family day out!

Over all I give Tootsies 4.5* out of a possible 5
Access: Very good, but not sure how we would have got on if Henry was still little and needed to be left in his pram. There wasn't much room around the table so we had to leave the push chair by the door.
Welcome: Very good, friendly service.
Cleanliness: Average, clean facilities.
High Chair: Great, I love it when Henry can sit right up to the table.
Coffee & Cake: Kind of slacking here, we did not try any as we fancied an icecream which we didn't get in the end!

Wagamama - Basingstoke

2009-05-01T12:00:00.000+01:00

Henry and I met up with one of his girl friends last week in Basingstoke. We went by train as it is a direct route from Salisbury. The journey did not take that long and when you arrive at Basingstoke train station the shopping area is within a 2 minutes walk. Perfect!
After a stroll around the shops it was suggested that we go for lunch at Wagamama, I jumped at the opportunity, I love noodle soup.
The welcome we recieved was fabulous, the waitress took us to our table which had enough room behind for our push chairs and asked if we would like high chairs. Yes we needed two.

I have heard about the Phil & Teds high chairs but never seen or used one. They are very good, they just attached to the table and the babies sit comfortably inside at the table the same hight as other diners. Henry was very happy! Only one snag, I put Henry on my right side rather than my left so it was a little uncomfortable when feeding him his lunch.

We had a lovely relaxing lunch, we did not feel rushed and both babies got lots of attention from the staff and diners. Henry seems to charm every female within his sights.

Over all I give Wagamama 4.5* out of a possble 5.
Access: Extremely good, plenty of room inside to get the push chair in before being shown to your table.
Welcome: Fabulous - excellent service
Cleanliness: Tables and surrounding areas are very clean. The baby changing facilities are in the disabled toliet. There is plenty of room and it is all very clean.
High Chairs: Very modern and trendy.
Coffee & Cake: On this occasion I did not have either a coffee or a desert, but I would recommend the soya beans!

Thank you for a lovely day out Alexa and Nola.

Ask Restaurant - Salisbury

2009-04-30T20:45:00.000+01:00

During my maternity leave my husband and I have visited Ask restaurant a few times, mostly due to buy 1 get 1 free vouchers so it has been good value.
When Henry was little we could visit the restaurant and leave Henry in his pram sleeping as there is plenty of room between the tables for the push chairs.
Now that Henry is sitting in a high chair we still enjoy our visits. When we first asked for Henry's food to be warmed the staff happily took the container to be micro-waved, but on a recent visit their polices have changed and can only warm food in hot water behind in the kitchen.
The staff are all very nice and helpful and always make you feel welcome no matter how many babies are in your group. The baby changing facilites are very clean and roomy.

Even without vouchers I would recommend a visit to the restaurant to all families with babies or young children. Older children are given crayons and an activity sheet, the children's menu looks very appetising.

Over all I give Ask Restuarant 4* out of a possible 5
Access: Although the front door is relatively narrow the staff are always on hand to open the door to welcome you in. Getting to your selected table is easy as there is plenty of room between the tables.
Welcome: Great.
Cleanliness: The tables are always clean and the changing facilities are of a high standard.
High Chairs: Very good and great design to get close to the table so that they feel part of the group.
Coffee & Cake: I have not actually tried the coffee or dessert at the restaurant as yet.

Starbucks Coffee Shop

2009-04-06T20:39:00.001+01:00

Starbucks in Salisbury has to be the worst coffee shop in the city. The tables are always cluttered with dirty mugs and plates. And on a number of occasions I have been given a take away cup even when sitting in. I thought Starbucks was terrible before Henrys arrival, but something keeps drawing me in.
Once you manage to get through the door it is very hard to get to the counter to order your drink with a push chair navigating around scattered furniture. Although if you do make it to the counter the service is friendlier than at Caffe Nero. The queue and the speed to receive your drink is as slow and can often result in walking out empty handed because Henry has got frustrated and is crying so loud you have to leave.
I have to admit most of my recent visits to Starbucks have been on an early Saturday morning without Henry.
The high chairs are pretty good, they attached to a normal chair so this takes up less space which is great as you don't have much space anyway.
The baby changing facilities are again in the disabled toilet downstairs, but it is relatively cleaner than Caffe Nero.
The coffee and cakes are good. I prefer Starbucks for my summer cold coffees and my husband thinks they do the best hot chocolate and whipped cream, although it has to be the Signature hot chocolate.

Over all I give Starbucks Coffee 2* out of a possible 5.
Access: You can just about get into the cafe shop but it is difficult to navitage to the counter to order your drinks and it is usually very busy and tables are often dirty .
Welcome: Better than Caffe Nero but could be improved.
Cleanliness: Terrible, only clean and tidy early in the morning.
High Chairs: Very good design and always available.
Coffee & Cake: Best for Hot chocolate and summer iced coffees. The caramel short bread is yummy!

Caffe Nero - Salisbury

2009-04-06T19:31:00.000+01:00

In my opinion Caffe Nero do the best Skinny Cappucino, but it can only accommodate a small number of push chairs at one time.
Three of us met last Friday for a morning coffee, after re-arranging the furniture we managed to find space for 3 adults and 3 high chairs. One snag there were only 2 high chairs.

We have been meeting in Caffe Nero since we started our maternity leave so we are used to the poor access, terrible service, long queues and extremely disgusting baby changing facilities. I guess it is the adult coffee that takes us back every time.

Henry and Emily sitting very nicely in their high chairs.

Over all I give Caffe Nero 2* out of a possible 5
Access : Access into the Cafe is okay, but as soon as you get inside there is limited space to push the prams around to get to a table.
Welcome: Considering we do visit the cafe regularly I would expect an occasional smile or hello from the staff - this is not the case.
Cleanliness: The baby changing facilities are in the disabled toilet. Thank goodness for Milton wipes. If you have to change your baby make sure you take something with you to clean the surface first. It is horrible and you would not want to use the toilet either, most of the time it is blocked.
High Chairs: Not actually sure how many there are but when found they are clean.
Coffee & Cake: Great coffee and good cakes. Although they could drop their prices, you can get a loyalty card, buy 9 get 1 free.

Old Sarum Flying Club

2009-03-30T19:49:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend we went for a lovely walk over to Old Sarum Flying Club. I estimate the walk is about 2 miles there and 2 miles back from Laverstock. We only have to cross one main road and the rest of the way is all along public byways through the countryside.
On a Sunday there are plenty of aircraft landing and taking off, and if the weather is clear you can see some great countryside, across to the Laverstock Downs.
The cafe is very spacious with easy access for push chairs. There are plenty of tables inside and outside. I prefer sitting outside as you are really close to the planes.
The menu ranges from main courses, sandwiches both hot and cold, snacks and cakes, everything is homemade. I have sampled a tuna baguette, caramel apple pie, rice crispy cake and Maltesers cake. Not in one visit, I have been to the cafe a number of times.
Oh I forgot to mention, they do have a licensed bar! Perfect for a Sunday beer in the sunshine.
The staff are very friendly, although sometimes very stressed due to the volume of customers. But they will still warm baby food and bring it out to you if you are sat outside.
High chairs are available and you can take them outside. There isn't a designated baby changing area which does let this cafe down in my scoring. But how many babies actually go flying?

Overall I give Old Sarum Flying Club 3* out of a possible 5

Access: Access in and around the cafe is reasonable.
Welcome: You are made welcome and the staff will help you if you ask.
Cleanliness: There are no baby changing facilities. The cafe is reasonably clean, but the tables are left uncleared for a while during busy times.
High Chairs: Again the high chairs are the large plastic ones, but they are clean and do the job.
Coffee & Cake: I can't comment on the coffee, the cakes are very good especially the maltesers cake, and the beer is very refreshing.

Salisbury Cathedral Restaurant

2009-03-25T19:09:00.000Z

Today Henry and I met up with a few friends at Salisbury Cathedral for lunch. You always get the sense of space when you arrive at the Cathedral - it's a wonderful building. We made our way to the restaurant at about 11.30, the place was already bustling with tourists, locals and other mums with babies and small children.

With ease we found a table large enough to accommodate 3 adults, 3 babies and 3 over sized push chairs. We felt very comfortable re-arranging the furniture so we could all feel settled and not get in the way of other diners.

So far so good, we have easy access and we feel welcome.

We decided to feed the babies first. Getting the food warmed was not a problem they even used a microwave and did not even suggest to warm the food submersed in boiling water - we all know that this method is a complete waste of time. Babies happy, clean and settled we could now get our own lunch.

We could chose from a wide variety of freshly made sandwiches, home made soup, and a selection of main courses. The desserts looked great, cheesecakes, muffins and other delights all handmade were available. We did not have cake on this occasion but I'm sure we will be visiting the restaurant again. Today I opted for the homemade leek & potato soup, with a door stop of fresh crusty bread.

We chatted for almost 2 hours and not once did we feel unwelcome or rushed to leave. For those with older children I did notice a small child play/seating area.

The views inside the restaurant are stunning, it has a glass roof so you can see the Cathedral's architecture.

Overall I give Salisbury Cathedral 4 1/2* out of a possible 5*

Access: Access in and around the restaurant is very good.
Welcome: You are made welcome and the staff do ask if you need any help.
Cleanliness: Baby changing facilities are very clean and are very accessible.
High Chairs: I suggest replacing the high chairs from the over sized plastic ones with nice sleek wooden ones. They are easier to clean, stackable and take up less space when in use.
Coffee & Cake: Menu is good but a bit pricey.

2009-03-24T03:00:00.000Z

I have created this site to help mums and dads identify where they can go to enjoy a coffee after the baby arrives.

Each coffee shop/cafe/restaurant will be marked on the following points.

1. Access in and around the premises with a push chair.

2. Do you feel welcome? Helpfulness of the staff.

3. Cleanliness of baby changing facilities and access.

4. High chairs

5. Coffee & Cakes!