They say that children are the most discerning critics. So who better placed to compile the top 5 kid-friendly restaurants list?
It was a simple idea, but here at Taste of Manchester we don't have kids. Instead, we borrowed some. With the help of the lovely Belinda Stopforth, assistant headteacher at Ladybarn Primary School, we recruited four budding foodies who were keen to help us compile a list to help grown-ups when choosing a place to dine with their little people.
The students wrote the following reviews collaboratively and independently, and individual quotes were taken from notebooks they took to each restaurant. Over to our mini taste team; Noor, Umar, Amira and Daniel, all aged 10 years old.
We visited the Beagle on a beautiful, sunny day, the walls folded open to allow the sunshine seep through onto the colourful, graffiti wall. The walls were draped with a variety of art such as tapestries, posters and badges. There was a variety of food to choose from including, mac and cheese, enchiladas, fish fingers and grilled chicken dippers. Everyone chose something and even adapted the menu to suit our diets. We couldn’t resist dessert and were treated to Ginger’s ice cream again but we were also tempted by the delicious Churros and chocolate dipping sauce. So if you are ever in Chorlton around 4 o’clock, we highly recommend a visit the Beagle’s After School Club Tuesday - Thursday for half price children’s menu! We’ll definitely be there!
"It was yummy! Especially the chips. They were crunchy."- Amira
2. Honest Crust – Altrincham Market House
As we walked into the food hall we could instantly smell the delicious aroma of baking pizza. The hall was open, with a casual and welcoming atmosphere. Whilst walking to our seats we noticed that there was a play area for small children and a huge variety of food to choose from. So if you’re family is fussy, we would highly recommend a visit! We chose to visit Honest Crust and were treated to a delicious sourdough pizza served on a chopping board. All staff were very warm and welcoming and we can’t wait to return!
"I liked that we got to make our own pizza, it was an amazing experience." - Umar
"The staff were very kind and polite" - Noor
3. Gusto, West Didsbury
As we entered the lively restaurant we were impressed with the modern style and décor. There was lots of choice on the children’s menu but we decided to make our pizza, which came with a chef’s hat. During our wait we were entertained with a word search and colouring sheet on the back of our menus. The waiter brought over our chosen ingredients and an unbaked pizza and we were able to create our own pizzas. We created clocks and lots of smiley faces, we loved being creative with our food. Later on, we were very excited to find out that our meal came with a free ice cream, yum, yum!
"They had colouring which was very child-freindly so good job!" - Amira
"I liked that we got to play with the dough... we even had a hat." - Noor
4. Grill on the Alley, Ridgefield, just off Albert Square
As we entered the restaurant we sensed a relaxed atmosphere and the décor was posh, modern and welcoming! During our wait we were given crayons and an activity sheet to colour in. The presentation of the food was really good. The food was presented on nice plates and the ice cream bowl was really funky! We tried the Fish and Chips and Mini Blackhouse Burger which was all delicious, but we particularly enjoyed the creamy, thick milkshakes and yummy ice creams! The staff were very polite and attentive, and the food arrived quickly so we didn’t have to wait long before our tummies smiled!
"It was really nice plus it had healthy food as well as the actual dish." -Daniel
5. Ginger’s Comfort Emporium, Afflecks, Northern Quarter
Affleck’s Palace can only be described as a labyrinth. We searched and searched and finally arrived at the creative, quirky Ginger’s Comfort Emporium. We were greeted by the warm, welcoming staff and an exciting array of flavours, for example, rhubarb and ginger, peanut butter and salted caramel, apple crumble and strawberry and black pepper. The flavours may sound crazy but they really worked. When the ice creams arrived we couldn’t believe our eyes, the portions were HUGE! If you’re looking for an indulgent treat, Ginger’s is the place to be!
"The taste was amazing. There was little bits of caramel." - Umar
