When you feel like pottering round a garden centre and lunch… here are our pick of the best spots.

Petersham Nurseries: www.petershamnurseries.com. An Aladdin’s cave of a setting which would turn any cynic into a green, organic earth mother.  The grown-up restaurant, Skye Gyngell’s baby, is definitely for special times, but does welcome children and the tomato pasta the children were offered kept them quiet and sitting still on their provided high-chairs, leaving us to tuck into our bottle of rose and taste some of the best food I have ever eaten. Just for a normal snack the café next door is lovely with home-made cakes, soup and lemonade.  

Gingko Garden Centre: www.gingkogardens.co.uk. Just opened this properly child-friendly café is a joy, offering delicious brownies, muffins, good juices for kids and great coffee for us. They have an area with toys and games and there is a little pond filled with fishes in the Garden Centre itself. On the edge of Ravenscourt Park this one’s a pretty firm favourite.

Clifton Nurseries: www.clifton.co.uk. A new café in these nurseries has proved to be a delight with delicious food, good breakfasts, soups and yummy cakes. Kids can order any plate (half portion) and juice for £5.

Instead of a picnic in the Park try these divine cafes.

Pavilion Café, Highgate Woods.  Idyllic, good kiddy menu. Mediterranean feel – heaven. Jazz evenings on Friday in the summer.  Open all year from 9am till about 9pm in the summer.

Peckham Rye Park and Common. Complete with highchairs, books, toys, and a baby changing area this new café has stunning views across the common and delicious food.

Serpentine Bar and Kitchen, Hyde Park. Run by Benugo this old ‘70s café has had a revamp and it is fab! Pots of herbs, French china, lots of space, right on the water. Muffins, cookies, excellent coffees, wood fired pizza oven, deck-chairs outside. Tops. Open 8am-8pm daily www.serpentinebarandkitchen.com

For a more street-side treat our top kiddie alfresco-ish restaurants are:

Chez Kristof www.chezkristof.co.uk in Hammersmith. On Sundays they have movies and a kids’ entertainer and they provide high-chairs and are very happy to have kids’ screaming around.