One of the highlights of my maternity leave was taking semi-regular trips into London to spend time in Coal Drop’s Yard, just behind King’s Cross station. Alfie and I got into a routine of taking the train into King’s Cross on a weekday and then meeting friends with babies, friends who worked irregular hours or friends who were willing to take a cheeky afternoon off. It felt manageable with a very young baby (we started doing this when Alfie was about 3 months old) because there was only one train to contend with (i.e. no tube) and we didn’t travel that far from the station. Alfie has always seemed quite taken with trains (and not cars – very like his mama) so we would hop on the train mid-morning, spend a few hours hanging out around Coal Drop’s Yard and then hop back on the train, home in time for bath and bed. It worked very well. It was also a real treat for me because, after years of drifting past Coal Drop’s Yard during commutes, but never having enough time to explore properly, I finally felt like I had the opportunity to investigate all the great food places around there.
The thing that surprised me the most – just how baby-friendly it was. In many ways, I am preferring this new toddler phase but I have to admit, a massive perk of the early months is just how portable those little ones are and how they stay where you put them. It actually makes dining out with them pretty easy, once you’re over the initial reservations about having to deal with nappy changes and whacking your boob out in public. I’m really glad I did manage to embrace this as much as finances allowed. Here’s some of my favourite discoveries (and I’m sure there are many more still to discover):
Alright, cheating here because I had been to Granary Square Brasserie a few times pre-baby but this was the first place I came when Alfie was three months to meet two of my oldest friends, one who had a baby just three weeks after me. We had two prams, two newborns and it was a total dream. It’s so easy to a) worry about going to a restaurant with a baby and b) being far from home with a baby and without your other half when you’ve never done it before, but this was a real lesson in how most people really couldn’t care less that you have a baby with you. We sat outside, ate three delicious courses and the babies played musical chairs between our laps. The food is classic British bistro style but with that extra bit of summin’. The zucchini fries are always a crowd pleaser.
Specifically designed to be family friendly but in a non-crap way (you know what I mean), this place offers a kids menu and colouring sheets, and cocktails and excellent pizzas for adults. My friend and I went with both a toddler and a baby and felt like we didn’t need to worry about the inevitable chaos that results in whilst still enjoying pizza and a cheeky lunchtime tipple. Also, there’s a playground nearby where said toddler could run about and benches where said baby could have a feed.
Dishoom
Boy, do I love Dishoom. Love. But it was a bit of a slow burner for me; the first couple of times I went, I disliked how long the queues were and felt like I hadn’t made the most of the menu. What I’ve learned is to visit on weekdays or less-common eating times, ask the waiter for recommendations and pick things slightly at random because everything is delicious. Also, the chai is bottomless and you must make the most of that. Oh and the rice pudding is sublime. And it’s a great place for vegans. I’ll stop now. My main point is, when I rocked up with a buggy and a four-month-old to have lunch with my friend, they didn’t bat an eyelid. Moved us to a more spacious (step-free) table, were efficient getting us the bill when Alfie started to get restless etc. Bonus point – the décor and smells make for pretty decent baby sensory.
Sons & Daughters
A great one for the summer – these guys do really good takeaway sandwiches. Any sandwich made with focaccia elevates it to a new level in my opinion. Take a blanket and let baby roll about or go sit by the fountains in Granary Square and let the water entertain them. Either way it’s a cute summer scene and you have a very nice sandwich.
Caravan
When I first walked into Caravan, I did have a slight fear that I might be pushing my luck. The warehouse-type vibe with long, shared tables did make me wonder if this was really going to work with a seven-month-old. But again, nobody batted an eyelid. The waitress seated us at the end of the table, produced a highchair without asking and spent most of the time cooing over Alfie (she loved him so much, we got a small discount). The menu is inspired by the founders’ travels so there is all sorts on there; can confirm that the sourdough pizza is very good.
For some reason, I really felt like Lina’s wasn’t going to be baby friendly. I’m not sure if it’s the gorgeous décor or the delicate plates of pasta, but I’d somehow convinced myself that I wasn’t going to be popular bringing in a small human. Perhaps it was also because this was when Alfie was eleven months and a lot more active. You know how this goes by now but being proved wrong with Lina’s was particularly amusing because we walked into the restaurant, and I counted no less than six tables with babies in highchairs. Lina’s is all about the pasta and it is delicious. Their tagliolini al tartufo is a particular highlight for me. My only gripe is that the portions sizes are very small so ordering three mains between two of you is perfectly acceptable. Con – more expensive. Pro – you get to try more of the delicious food. And a table full of multiple plates of pasta is my idea of heaven, quite frankly. Don’t forget to have a nose around their deli on the way out.
