Three great London restaurants offering deals for children’s meals this summer holiday

The summer holidays present a familiar logistical problem: six weeks of activities and meals to plan, with limited budget and appetite for cooking. A range of London restaurants have responded with children’s menus and pricing structures designed to keep the little ones busy and make eating out with family less of a financial puzzler.

From noodles to fish and chips, with low set prices, cut VAT or even free meals for kids, here are three options running till early September – and each provides an activity sheet, useful for keeping those sweaty gannets at bay while they wait.

Noodle and Beer, Spitalfields and Chinatown

Both branches of Noodle and Beer have introduced a children’s menu running until the end of August. It’s priced at £15 for two courses of scaled-down versions of the kitchen’s most popular dishes, with a pineapple or lychee juice included. Starters are Chicken Bites or Crispy Courgette Fries, followed by Creamy Miso Butter Noodles, with chicken, pork or prawns available as paid additions. The menu itself doubles as entertainment, with a Find the Bunny puzzle printed on the reverse – a small but practical touch for anyone attempting to eat a bowl of noodles while a child waits.

The Mayfair Chippy, Mayfair and Knightsbridge

Until 1^st September, both branches of The Mayfair Chippy are cutting the VAT charged on children’s meals from 20% to 5%, passing the saving on to families rather than absorbing it. The children’s menu follows the familiar chip-shop template with a few concessions to modern tastes: a main course of Fish Goujons, Fried Halloumi Fingers or sausage either grilled or battered. Pudding is two scoops of gelato, and the price includes a drink: apple juice, orange juice or milk. The offer runs at both the Mayfair and Knightsbridge sites, making it a reasonable option in two areas where feeding children while out and about is rarely cheap.

Sam’s Waterside, Brentford

Perched beside the Grand Union Canal, this west London restaurant is running a straightforward offer through the school holidays: one free main from the children’s menu for every adult main course ordered. It applies to diners aged 11 and under, with a recently introduced children’s menu that keeps things simple. On offer are Fish Goujons and Chips, Pasta in a Homemade Tomato Sauce or Free-Range Chicken served with broccoli. Activity sheets are available at the table, which may buy parents a few extra minutes over coffee. The main draw, though, is the generously sized waterside terrace – an easy spot for a long, unhurried lunch when the weather cooperates.

Food Desk

To book a table at Noodle & Beer, visit their website here.

To book a table at The Mayfair Chippy, visit their website here.

To book a table at Sam’s Waterside, visit their website here.