Restaurant in Central London that a 2yo will love?

[Siennasun]

DH and I are taking DS into London a couple of days before his 2nd birthday and I want to find somewhere he'll think is amazing to go for lunch. I was thinking Rainforest Cafe but I'm a bit worried it might be a bit too much. DS isn't especially timid or shy but has been known to cry at hand dryers and 6 foot Peppa Pigs so don't fancy spending a fortune for him to bawl his way through lunch.
Does anyone know of anywhere that's really great for toddlers? I don't care how tacky or expensive it is. Ideally it would be somewhere with nice food but really just somewhere that's a lovely experience for a tiny child.

[Siennasun]

Anyone?

[citysnow]

Giraffe?
They get given a helium balloon plus colouring in activites. Balloon was a big hit in our house (no other experience of them!).

[nancy75]

Rainforest cafe is just about the most horrible restaurant in London, the food is dreadful and it is dark and horrible and not very clean.

[Elfina]

I came on to suggest Rainforest Cafe. Jamie's Diner? Does he like dinosaurs?

[nancy75]

I am thinking of all the places DD likes but I think 2 is too young to really be amazed by any restaurant. I think you might be better going to something and then just having a lunch anywhere that he will eat the food rather than making the lunch the big thing if you see what I mean?

[Siennasun]

Thanks for all the ideas! He does like dinosaurs. He really loves animals which is why I thought rainforest cafe might be good. Dark and dirty doesn't sound great tho.
He's been to giraffe and Jamie's up here and enjoyed both but was looking to find somewhere a bit special/one off for his birthday.
You may be right about going to something he'd love and just having lunch somewhere nice

[nicename]

Where abouts are you going? The museum cafes do kids lunches and small people get delerious at a cardboard panda lunch box with a sandwich, apple, juice and crayons!

Giraffe and Wagamamas are very child friendly.

[nicename]

Byrons burgers also do nice kids lunches, as does good old Pizza Express.

Maybe a picnic in one of the parks, with an Odonos ice cream for after?

[Siennasun]

Haven't got any set plans yet and it's a couple of months away so will depend on the weather. We might go to the transport museum.

[Siennasun]

Or regents park/London zoo if it's a nice day.

[nicename]

The transport museum has an area where you can bring food. They have a limited tea/coffee/sweets/cake bar there, so pop into m+s on on the way for some sandwiches and have lunch there. Kids love the idea of lunching inside the museum!

It can get busy with school groups, so as long as you aren't tied to lunch being between 12 and 1:30, you will be fine.

[Girlsbrigadewashorrible]

If you still fancy a restaurant meal, the Pizza Express on the South Bank is a good one as it has lovely views of the river (ask for a table upstairs). There's lots to see and do on that stretch of the Thames. On the day, if you decide that a picnic is more desirable, there are plenty of M+S, little Waitrose type stores all over Central London where you could buy sandwiches etc to eat in a park. I would take a flat sheet as a picnic rug (just in case) as they take little room in a day bag.

[IScreamForIceCream]

Very déclassé but you could buy packed lunchy things then eat them in the 'driver's seat' of the Docklands Light Railway!

[Sleepwhenidie]

There's Wagamama, Byron, Rosso Pomodoro and YoSushi all on the same street (Jamestown Rd) just ten minutes walk along the canal from London Zoo...don't eat the food at the Zoo - terrible and overpriced.

[Siennasun]

Thanks for lots of ideas. I will have a think about them.

[Siennasun]

He loves wagamamma but we eat there all the time. Rosso pomodoro might be good and we don't have one near us.

[NormHonal]

Natural History Museum - see the dinosaurs (book your slot online to jump the queue) and then eat in the restaurant, which is great and they have balloons and colouring if you get there early.