Paris Dining with Kids – Skip the Fast Food
We all know that Paris is for romantics. My own honeymoon trip included 4 nights there. But there are many, many resources that describe, guide, and recommend travel to Paris for families.
The harder part of family vacation planning for me is the dining. And it would be especially daunting in Paris, where I’d be fearful of glaring looks from waitstaff and diners alike were I to enter with 3 kids. It would take a while for guests to see that my boys actually have very good table manners, can sit still, and will try new foods (though sometimes it is necessary to seat a parent between two of them!). But still, I would be more comfortable knowing where they might be welcomed.
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From Fodor’s Europe travel forum, here are readers’ responses about Paris restaurants suitable for kids: Family friendly restaurants/cafes in Paris.
I love the introduction of Child-friendly Paris: a gourmet guide, by Natasha Edwards on Simonseeks.com. It is so encouraging! She says, “Children get in early on the French passion for food. Eating out is a part of daily life here, and that means taking the kids, too – so the city abounds in child-friendly restaurants and cafés.” Then she describes 8 places that strive to be kid-friendly, including one with special items for toddlers and preschoolers, and 4 with extra appeal for teenagers. Also included is advice for alternatives when presented with some children’s menus.
For 5 clear, easy to follow, tips on how to go about dining with kids in Paris, see Vanessa Druckman’s Traveling Mom article, Dining in France Sans Chicken Nuggets. Check out her link about ‘some stressful moments’ for a good chuckle and mental notes on what not to do.
My tip: When we went to Germany and Denmark, I accidentally left behind my carefully researched list of family-friendly restaurants. It wouldn’t have helped though, since we usually ended up hungry around the tourist locations, too tired to travel any further to try a kid-friendly place that may be two-mass-transit-stops away. Next time we travel, I will plot the recommended restaurants on a map, and take with me a list only of those that are located near the museums or other sights we plan to visit.
Bon Appetit!