The best family-friendly spots in the UK

The Larder Cafe in Buckingham is all about community, celebrating both the wider rural Buckingham community and your own close-knit family unit. The Verey family have been farming at Manor Farm, Bourton for four generations, keeping family at the forefront of The Larder Cafe, as well as honing in on farm-to-table dining at Manor Farm. There’s plenty of space for the whole family to explore, from browsing the cheese room and flower farm to saying hello to all the barnyard animals.

The menu at Larder Cafe is all about going back to basics, with classic British dishes such as a full English (AKA The Larder Double), baked potatoes, salt beef bagels, homemade sausage rolls, and homemade cakes. They also feature a kid’s menu with toasties, tea cakes, and Little Farmer lunchboxes. The menu stays seasonal, full of produce from the farm and gardens, so you’re getting the freshest picks of the bunch!

St Martha in Nantwich, Cheshire is a traditional Greek taverna offering a warm and welcoming atmosphere alongside mouthwateringly delicious Mediterranean food. In true taverna style, the space is cosy and intimate with tables made for family-style sharing – the right way to enjoy a Greek feast.

Fresh and seasonal are the two main contributing themes on the menu. Think charred pita and tzatziki, baklava pork belly and honey, Greek sausages, fried squid with lemon, fried courgettes with mint yoghurt, traditional moussaka, open souvlakis with chicken breast skewers, and imam baked aubergine. If you’re looking for an authentic Greek experience, we can’t recommend St Martha’s enough.

A brewery may not sound like the most family-friendly spot, but stay with us. Ennerdale Brewery Tap is the perfect place to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon, priding themselves on hosting a family atmosphere with children and dogs all welcome. Relax and unwind at the Brewery Tap as they dish up quality homemade fare in a cosy, friendly environment alongside the Ennerdale Brewery next door – you can even spend time getting a tour of the impressive brewery and get all the behind-the-scenes details.

Brewery Tap’s menu caters for anyone and everyone, featuring the likes of salt and pepper prawns, hot honey glazed pork belly bites, loaded nachos, a huge selection of hot and cold sandwiches, homemade steak and ale pie, wild boar sausages, battered cod and chips, a vegan rogan josh, rustic flatbread pizzas, buttermilk chicken and chorizo burgers, and sizzler plates. The children’s corner of the menu will keep the kids happy with sausage and mash, chicken nuggets, fish goujons, and ciabatta pizzas.

If you’re in need of a dose of the countryside, The Pig and Apple in Monmouth is the place. Offering a cosy dining experience on a farm in south Wales, this is as homely as it gets. Think roaring fireplaces in winter and sunny outdoor dining in summer, The Pig and Apple is a family-friendly spot all year round.

The menu is perfect for picky eaters, with plenty of choice, variety, and add-ons. Burgers are the name of the game at The Pig and Apple, with the menu divided into beef, chicken, and veggie/vegan. Some standout toppings include apple chutney, onion rings, buttermilk fried chicken, creamy blue cheese mayo, hash browns, Chinese sticky glaze, honey buffalo sauce, and panko portobello mushrooms. There are plenty of sides to share amongst the table, and a kid’s sized burger for the little ‘uns.

We think a family-run restaurant is the perfect place for family catch-up. The Peppermill Bistro in Billingham is a friendly bistro with classic comfort foods and homestyle atmosphere.

The menu is seasonal, so each visit you’ll be met with surprise but trust us, you’ll never be disappointed. Expect to see dishes such as sticky honey and five spice glazed belly pork, pan-fried black pudding and crumbed haggis, smoked salmon roulade, tikka marinated chicken breast medallion, seared venison steak, pan roasted duck breast, pot roast beef brisket, as well as a full grill menu and special parmesan menu. The dessert menu is equally exciting with the likes of apple crumble, salted caramel cookie cheesecake, a rum custard tart, and a chocolate orange fudge cake. The Peppermill also offer full gluten free, children’s, and vegan menus, so everyone is sorted!