Need Help With Restaurant Choices for Dinner
 

I guess I made the mistake of tacking this topic on to my last thread (Preliminary London Itinerary), and I have received only one response to date. We''re looking for moderately priced restaurants that are child-friendly food-wise for our 5-night stay in London. There are six of us, including one 13 year old boy who is an extremely picky eater, and I would like to spend no more than $20/pp each night (or around $125 per dinner for all 6). We might all have one beer or soft drink at dinner. Unfortunately, because of my son, we cannot include any ethnic restaurants on our list. Here is our itinerary and the areas where we would like to dine:

Day 1: Bloomsbury, not too far from the British Museum
Day 2: Near the Tower of London
Day 3: Near the Lyceum Theatre
Day 4: Near Harrod's
Day 5: Bloomsbury, not too far from the British Museum

I guess we are looking for traditional pub fare, where my son can get a large plate of french fries if nothing else on the menu appeals to him.

Thanks!

You might try Carluccio's near the South Kensington tube station.It should come within your budget and there are numerous choices. That would be the one near Harrods. Orsini's across from the V&A would also suit.

Check out toptable for 50% off deals . We had an excellent dinner at the Cadogan Arms on Kings Rd. I usually skip most pub food but there are some that are very good.

I forgot to mention this -- Italian food (pizza and pasta) is acceptable.

Thanks.

Your best bet for reasonable quality at reasonable prices if you won't go ethnic is either pub food or 'some' of the chains.

Chains worth checking out (and scattered across London) inlcude the above mentioned Carluccio's (italian, http://www.carluccios.com/), Pizza Express (italian-style pizzas, http://www.pizzaexpress.com/), Gourmet Burger Kitchen (obvious, http://www.gbk.co.uk/), Strada (italian/pizza, http://www.strada.co.uk/).

Hardens (excellent restaurant guide) publish a 'cheap eats in London' guidebook, as does, I think, TimeOut.

With pub food, quality varies enormously, so it's worth reading up. Also, some pubs (particularly ones without a separate dining room) won't be keen on children being there in the evenings. You can search for child friendly pubs on www.viewlondon.co.uk

Thanks, Kate. I will check out those websites. Someone recommended ASK in Moreton-in-Marsh, and when I tried to sign up for discount coupons, I was rejected because I didn't have a local postal code. Oh well. Didn't like my US zip code!

When I say child-friendly, I mean menu-wise. My kids are 13 and 16, and hopefully can be trusted to behave in a restaurant. How I wish to forget those days of yore, chasing the kids around the table! But no, they behave properly.

It's funny how we always seem to fall back on Italian food when the restaurant pickings are slim. In Switzerland last year, our best meals were Italian (we just couldn't adapt to the local Swiss cuisine).

Of course there's always the real fall backs -- McDonald's and the rest of the fast-food chains. But that will be our last resort!

Thanks, again.

Roberta

>>>Didn't like my US zip code!

Then try entering a British one (psst: they won't know you don't really live there!).

Roberta,

I've always enjoyed Il Fornello in Bloomsbury near Russell Square if Italian will work for you. The website is
www.ilfornello.co.uk for directions and a sample menu.

Regards,
Cindy

You could use SW1H 0BG. It's Scotland Yard's. Well you won't get ripped off.....

Cindy: Again, I believe you are giving me great advice. Il Fornello looks like the perfect restaurant for us. I will definitely put it on my list of possible restaurants.

As for entering my US zip code instead of a made-up British one, I guess I am too honest to lie. But it's just a postal code and a lousy coupon that I probably won't be able to use anyway. I'll try the Scotland Yard's postal code and see what I get! Watch I'll be placed on some wanted list and be banned from entering their restaurants!