non alcoholic beverages in cafes
 

I'm travelling to Paris and London with my kids and I am curious as to what fun beverages they can drink as we take breaks in cafes. I'm sure they will like to try the hot chocolates, but they may like something cool as well, and I thought they might want to step beyond a coke. Also, if the French don't drink pop or milk at the dinner table, are the kids left with just water as an option?

I am wondering the same thing with taking my teens to Italy; I don't want to deprive them of truly cultural experiences, but how do you "unring" that bell when you get home? And if not wine, then what will they drink?

In France, they could have a 'citron pressé', which is like a lemonade they mix themselves. There are local sodas, too, ie. Orangina... and kids can have a soda with their meal, if they want to... my hubby has one nearly all the time, if not having wine or beer.

Haven't been to Italy in a long time, so someone else can speak up on that one.

Hi L and J,

>if the French don't drink pop or milk at the dinner table, are the kids left with just water as an option? <

The French do make soft drinks in various fruit flavors.

Many people like Orangina.
See http://tinyurl.com/79j2o

((I))

We were in Italy last March with our kids (age 9 and 12 at the time). In Italy the most common soda in restaurants was Fanta, and my kids enjoyed that. My husband enjoys wine with dinner but I don't drink, so we always ordered a bottle of "acqua con gasse" - sparkling water (not still) which everyone enjoyed. There are many different brands of this in Italy.

On our last night in Italy we were in Florence and returned to a restaurant we had really enjoyed a few nights before. The proprietress (sp?) who spoke no english came out with a bottle of champagne asking "Champagne for bambini?" We let them have a small glass and, of course, was a highlight of their trip!

The generic term in a French café would be "un soda", in response to which a waiter is likely to suggest a list of names like Orangina, Fanta, Sprite, though most likely the first option offered would be "un coca". Or you could ask what sort of "soda" they have. "Limonade" is likely to mean what in the UK we call a "bitter lemon". Maybe it's worth a brief visit to a supermarket to see and try some brand names?

Not likely to be a problem in London, as the brand names are likely to be the same as you're already used to. The purely local ones are more likely to be available in shops than cafés - Tizer, Vimto, Irn Bru, dandelion and burdock (if you can find it) - stand by for a flood of UK childhood reminiscences. You could try them on ginger beer (which is not alcoholic).

Ah happy days. Tizer and Vimto, think I'm a bit old for IrnBru. I could never get the hang of dandelion and burdock though. Who else used to make their own ginger beer??

Be prepared for sticker shock on soft drinks. In many establishments they will cost you as much or more than an alcoholic drink. If economy is your highest priority, you might want to start the kids on booze a bit early.

The previous paragraph was in jest, but I'm almost serious on this, in that you often see European parents put a few drops of wine into their children's water glasses at table. Just enough to make the water a bit pink, not enough to get them sloshed. My four kids thought this was the neatest thing since gelato, and none of them ended up with a drinking problem.

:-)

My drink of choice in Paris cafes is citron presse (I don't know how to type the accent over the final e, but it's spelled and pronounced as Travelnut did earlier). The lemon juice, water, and sugar are brought separately and you mix them together, at least some places.

Have the kids fill up on sodas from a supermarket and then drink water at the cafes. Saves money, sometimes big money, if your kids drink like mine did.

Hi L&J,

As noted above, soft drinks usually cost more than the vin de la maison.

No reason not to let your 13 yr old start on watered wine.

The other two ought to be able to handle a single glass of wine at dinner.

((I))

I can't remember if Paris has this, but in Italy I remember having fresh-squeezed blood orange juice. It was wonderful and sweet! But alas, expensive.

Another point - you mention "cafes" in london. We don't really have these in the french sense.

If you see a "cafe" it is likely to be catering to labourers seliing high calorie fried food (the famous "English breakfast" - the only people who eat english breakfasts these days are polish labourers).

Other than that we have umpteen starbucks and their clones - so you'll know what they sell.

Some pubs will let kids in during the day - and they sell various soft drinks and juices.

Let me WARN you. Coke will cost you a LOT in cafes--as in 8€--no fooling. Get the French sodas if that is what they want. Even from a machine, cokes are 2€.

In Paris cafés, you can generally assume that mineral water, Fanta orange soda, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Orangina orange soda, orange juice, and possibly other fruit juices will be available. Often the hot chocolate is quite good, too. And if you want the world's most sinfully rich hot chocolate, take them to Angelina. For good hot chocolate in a more casual atmosphere, Les Marronniers in the Marais serves steamed milk and molten chocolate in separate small pitchers from which you can mix your own hot chocolate.

Most French bars/cafés have an array of flavours of sirop - syrupy concentrates that are diluted with water. Peach, mint, grenadine (mixed berry), orange and lemon are common.

You could also try ordering a "Diabolo menthe" - it's a mix of mint syrup and lemonade, and lots of French kids (and grown-ups) drink this in cafés. Or a "Diabolo grenadine" - lemonade and grenadine syrup.

Wow, you guys have such helpful tips! Is Orangina as expensive as coke? I like the idea of a diabolo grenadine as well, it would seem fancy and fun! I think we'll have to try the citron presse at least once, it sounds like a whole ceremony to prepare and drink, it might give us parents a chance to enjoy our wine! And, speaking of which, if my 14 or 11 year old wanted to try a watered-down glass of wine, would I just order them a water and pour a little of my wine into their glass? Is this really acceptable/legal in France? Thanks again for the great responses!

I don't think anyone should be drinking soft drinks with dinner to begin with, and don't think that is an appropriate thing for anyone to promote. I also don't think that it is necessary to serve alcohol to 11 and 14 year olds as some kind of big cultural expensive. I have never in my life paid 8 euro for a coke in Paris, that is not a typical price. I don't generally drink soft drinks at all, but from my memory, they are priced about the same as other drinks in a cafe or restaurant, but not excessive rates so much more than wine, beer, etc.

I drink a citron presse occasionally as a drink in itself in the afternoon, but it is not the kind of thing you'd drink with dinner, and I suspect your kids are not going to like it that much. I've also never noticed big disparities in price between Orangina, a French soft drink, and other brands of soft drinks. I don't think soft drinks, which are mainly sugar, are appropriate to drink with dinner, in any case.

Orangina is my favorite soda by far. I also like Perrier citron (lemon syrup) or Perrier menthe (mint) when looking for soda alternatives.

Pricing is often more than alcohol for sodas - I paid 2 - 5 euros per drink in most cafes. It is a law that the menu must be posted outside of the restaurant/cafe, so you can check prices before sitting.

I found soft drinks to be very expensive at cafes. For my child I would him allow him one soft drink and then he could have water. Unless we were there for ages and I felt he 'deserved' another soft drink ie at at a long dinner. I am not a great believer in letting children drink copious quantities of fizzy, sugary and expensive soft drinks. Water is much better for them. I believe one or two fizzy drinks a day whilst on holidays is plenty, certainly heaps more than he gets at home!! I know fresh juice is also expensive at cafes but much better for them. There are not a lot of different exciting options for children I'm afraid apart from the ones already suggested.

If they carried a water bottle with them whilst they were wandering around then they would not be as thirsty when you stopped for breaks, this way they could take the time to enjoy something a little different - citron presse and not guzzle the first drink down because they are so thirsty. They may enjoy choosing a "different" style water bottle at the supermarket and then you can just fill it up with tap water from the hotel or apartment before you headed out each day. Call me cheap if you wish, but I know how much drinks add up each day especially for little ones.