Olivia O'SullivanLooking at four city eateries from a family dining perspective…
Limerick Strand
Always a great family destination, the Strand’s Terrace Bar & Café is big enough to tick all the boxes so you can take a section to meet a group of parents all with buggies in tow or find a quiet corner to feed your newborn. The variety of food on offer will please everyone, parking is easy and the whole experience is hassle free here which has great appeal when you’re managing junior and all their paraphernalia.
Hook & Ladder
Downstairs in the city centre H&L (they now have suburban branches in Corbally and Castletroy too) is great for toddlers who want to explore a little and can do so safely if you go in off-peak when it’s a little quiet. Food is very tasty, and the place is very welcoming to families and buggies with multiple high chairs. It has a great large, clean, ground floor changing facility that you can easily wheel a buggy into and fit any other siblings that you need to bring with you if out and about alone.
Milano
Milano is well known for family dining and their kids menu is very popular which of course includes the famous ‘Bambinoccino’ so smallies can get in on the coffee course too and feel all grown up with their cup of frothed milk in cappuccino style and chocolate powder sprinkled on top. Their dough balls are another big hit with the little ones.
Cornstore
The Cornstore won the Munster Kids Size Me award, a joint initiative by the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the NHF (Nutrition and Health Foundation), in 2013 and 2014. This aims to ensure children have access to healthier food options when dining out by making child size portions of adult meals as an alternative to the standard children’s menu – parents sick of the limited nuggets/sausages/fish fingers menus will appreciate healthier alternatives and more considered options for their brood. They often have face painters here over Sunday lunch and midweek lunching parents with newborns will appreciate the low lighting and relaxed atmosphere.
By Olivia O’Sullivan
(This article also appeared in Busy Parents Limerick)