Many thanks to everyone who took the time to send us details of their favourite family restaurants.

This page gives details of the recommendations received, firstly the national chains and then individual restaurants listed by A-Z County and then Scotland and Wales.

If you have your own favourite family restaurant please let us know via contributions@forparentsbyparents.co.uk.

The following National chains have been recommended by a number of different parents. You will find other chains recommended in the 'By County' list but these were single recommendations so we did not feel confident that you would find the same consistent level of facilities or service across the country.

Brewsters / Brewers Fayre

I'd like to recommend the Brewsters at Margate Beach (right next to the train station). It's called 'The Promenade', and has a massive indoor play area with very friendly staff. It also has an outdoor one too.

The Brewers Fayre at Broadstairs (The David Copperfield) is very new and must have a top-notch chef, since the food is just fantastic. (You'd think all BF's are the same, but trust me they are not!) The food pleases the parents, whilst the kids always get a smile from the friendly staff.

A fab restaurant for the family is called 'The French Connection'. It's a Brewsters owned restaurant in Ashford. They really cater for the children and will go over and above to help pacify and please the children.

Brewsters, Hampton, Peterborough. The staff are great with the kids, and accept that they WILL make noise, It is the only place I can go to enjoy a meal.

My favourite restaurant is the Derwent Crossing, Swalwell, Gateshead - there is a whole family orientated area set aside for kids - a fun factory, soft play, special menu, reasonable prices an special offers.

The Inn On The Quay, Goodrington, Paignton. It's a Brewers Fayre pub and restaurant and includes a well staffed play area.

The following Brewsters / Brewers Fayre restaurants were also recommended:

• Aylesbury, Bucks;
• Preston Brook, Runcorn;
• The Beeches, Gresford, Wrexham
• Charnock Richard, Lancs.

To find your nearest Brewsters visit www.brewsterthebear.co.uk.

Harvester

The Green Man in Burpham, Guildford Surrey. Part of the Harvester chain but very friendly and always appear happy to see our large family group when we go.

The following Harvester restaurants were also recommended:

• Penarth Cardiff;
• The Old Mill, Pencoed, Mid Glamorgan;
• Bushey, Herts.

To find your nearest Harvester visit www.mbplc.com.

Macdonalds

Our favourite Restaurant is probably McDonalds - I know that is not good, but with a hyperactive toddler their indoor play areas give us an opportunity to eat and her to let off steam, everywhere else we have tried either the play centre is outside and you do really have to keep an eye on her or there is no where and she cannot sit down for even 10 minutes solid.

The following specific branches of McDonalds were also recommended:

• Gt. Yarmouth, Norfolk;
• Southgate, N14;
• Cramlington;
• Edgware (shopping centre) Middx;
• Truro, Cornwall.

To find your nearest Mcdonalds visit www.mcdonalds.co.uk/locator/.

Pizza Express

Our local Pizza Express has always been extremely accommodating when we have taken our 3 year old daughter there over the years. They have toys to play with at the table, and a mobile over the changing mat in the toilets.

Our favourite family restaurant is Pizza Express in the centre of York. All the staff are very helpful with heating bottles up etc.

To find your nearest Pizza Express visit www.pizzaexpress.co.uk.

TGI Fridays

Our favourite family restaurant is TGI Fridays, Newport Rd, Cardiff.

The following specific branches of TGI Fridays were also recommended:

• Leeds;
• Guildford.

To find your nearest TGI Fridays visit www.tgifridays.co.uk.

Restaurants by County

Bedfordshire

Our favourite family friendly restaurant is Mamma Mia's, Bedford

The Halfway House, Dunstable

Berkshire

We regularly go to the cafe on the first floor of Daniels in Windsor, Berkshire, and find them very good. They provide colouring pictures and crayons and the toilet facilities are very good for babies and small children. Only problem is that it's in the toy department, so there are lots of temptations around!

The Shire Horse, Littlewick Green on the A4 near Maidenhead

The Bistro Roque Restaurant, Inkpen - very child friendly.

"Bella Italia on Queen Victoria Street is a godsend when shopping in Reading. It's usually almost empty, even at weekends (except at Christmas). There's a children's menu - pasta, pudding and drink for £3.75. There's even a non-sugar fruit juice available instead of Coke."

"The staff are smiling and unfazed by badly-behaved toddlers and they provide a toy pack - my little girl loves the mini Etch-a-Sketch and the crayons. All this and you can eat a nice Italian lunch instead of chicken nuggets and chips."

Buckinghamshire

The Aylesbury Duck, Aylesbury. - this is a Hungry Horse Pub which caters well for children and does very reasonably priced meals - more of a lunch time pub - loads of food for a cheap price - but they don't mind children running around and they have a soft play area and a television/cinema room.

Cheshire

The Red Lion, Penketh, near Warrington

County Durham

Our favourite family friendly restaurant is La Spaghettata, Durham City.

Cornwall

My favourite family friendly restaurant is The Old Forge, Carnon Downs, Truro

Derbyshire

The Bluebell Inn, Farnah Green - A young Australian couple own it and are very accommodating when I take my two young daughters who are 2 and 4, welcoming them as much as their adults guests. The food is superb and they are more the willing to make anything the children fancy in the kitchens.

The Plank and Leggett, in Sawley which includes a playbarn and good child menu and facilities.

Devon

My favourite family pub/restaurant is 'The Cat and Fiddle' at Aylesbeare near Exeter. It has a very informal atmosphere with children's ball pool and play area (outside playground as well). Food is excellent and very reasonable. Whenever I ask my daughter where she want's to go for lunch she always says Cat and Fiddle. During holidays my girlfriends and I all meet here every couple of weeks for lunch and let the children run off steam!!

It has to be Roger's Tea room, found on the Quay, Exeter Devon. A friendly family run business where you're made to feel like one of the family. Fantastic cream teas and cakes as well as home cooked fare. Lots of toys for the children and entertainment provided by the proprieter.

Dorset

Neptune Restaurant, Boscombe Pier

East Yorkshire

Our favourite family restaurant is Home farm, Hessle, Hull.

Essex

My favourite child friendly restaurant is Cafe Unico in Epping. It's a very large italian pizza & pasta restaurant - the staff are very child friendly and hand out free lollipops - the food is really tasty for adults and children - there are plenty of high chairs and it's always packed with adults and children. It also has quite strange acoustics - so you can't really hear beyond your table - though it works really well as nobody else is bothered by babies crying as you don't really hear it.

Gloucestershire

Yew Tree Inn at Cliffords Mesne, nr Newent

Greater London

'Man Chui' in Kenton, Harrow

Our favourite family restaurant is The Ruislip Lido

Hampshire

My nomination for the best family friendly restaurant is Frankie & Benny's in the Crumbles, Eastbourne. They provide an excellent activity pack that keeps the kids happy throughout the meal and the food is lovely. the staff are always really pleasant to my kids.

Fatty Arbuckles, Osborne Road, Southsea, Portsmouth - It has good sized portions for children. If you buy an adult meal, you get a childs meal free. Also the children's place mat doubles up as a menu on one side and an activity sheet on the other.

Hertfordshire

We would recommend The Beefeater in Rickmansworth, Herts.

Isle of Wight

The Chequers Inn has a brilliant outside play area for the children and separate amusement area for the older child. Lovely pub food.

My favourite family friendly restaurant is The Colwell Bay Inn, Freshwater

Kent

Our favourite place to take our 16 month old son, Freddy, is the Stilebridge Inn, Marden. They have a very relaxed attitude and are flexible on food. Quality is excellent.

The High and Dry Inn, Sandwich Road, Waldershare, Near Dover - This pub provides fantastic facilities for children, with a wonderful garden stocked with a large number of toys and play-items. There are always sufficient high-chairs, childrens cutlery is provided on request, and they even keep a supply of colouring books and pencils. The food is fantastic, and they even have a 'Happy Hour', early on Saturday nights when children eat free. A highly recommended establishment, run by very friendly, accommodating staff!

Lancashire

My favourite family friendly resturant is the Wacky Warehouse, The Fiveways in Ormskirk, Lancashire - it is brilliant with special meals and an excellent playarea.

Leicestershire

We would recommend the Harry Ramsdens at Birstall in Leicestershire

London

Gastrodome, Wanstead High Street, Wanstead, London, E11 - This is a very baby friendly place. I met there with my ante-natal class, 8 mums, 8 babies once a week at lunch-time for a few months. The staff were so friendly, and didn’t mind us breast feeding, or warming bottles for those that needed it. They have baby changing facilities and plenty of high chairs for when they get a bit bigger. They rearranged the tables to help us. Food is great too, no GM ingredients so even healthy for us recovering mothers!!

We would recommend Garfunkels in Totteridge, North London - The staff always offer crayons etc for the kids.

Our favourite family friendly restaurant is Giraffe, Marylebone W1.

My favourite family friendly restaurant is Sticky Fingers, Kensington.

"Kids @ N20", High Road, Whetstone, London N20 - this is a new place and it's actually an indoor playground with a cafe in it. It has child-sized tables and chairs as well as normal sized ones for adults. They serve "happy meal" type boxes with a choice of hot food (chicken nuggets, fish nugget type things, sausages etc) or cold food (a selection of sandwiches), all come with crisps or fries, a muffin and a carton drink. There are toys for the children to play with such as table football, crayons and paper, kids magazines and really cute kids chairs shaped like hands. There is also of course the playground which is basically a soft play area with a maze, climing areas, ballpool etc, all secure and safe. For adults there are magazines and newspapers as well as a selection of food such as hot and cold sandwiches, baked potatoes, salads, coffees and teas and cakes.

Favourite Family Restaurant - Eat Drink Shop, The Basement, Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London - This restaurant comes equipped with the best adjoining play area (Science Museum) and the staff don't mind a bit if your bring your own food from home to eat as well.

My recommendation would be The Rochester Castle, Stoke Newington, London N16 - for a Central London pub it is very good for families. The pub is a Weatherspoons. It has a large non-smoking/childrens section, non smoking at the bar and a pretty garden area with enough room for the kids to run arounda little. The staff are friendly and helpful. the toilet facilities are excellent and the food is well priced, and the kids seem to like what they eat.

Merseyside

My favourite family restaurant is The Italian Kitchen. They are located in Liverpool, Southport and Formby, Merseyside. Nothing is too much trouble. The children, however small are welcomed and the food for both children and adults alike is superb!! The service is wonderful, not matter which of the locations you are in and it is a very pleasant atmosphere to have a family meal in. Prices are good too! They operate a 2 courses for £6.95 or £10.00 from Sunday through to Thursday - all evening and up to 7pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also do a wonderful £4.95 for 2 courses at lunchtime Monday to Friday, so it is ideal to meet up with pals and kids for a lovely lunch. For adults too, the food is much better than the typical Family Pub Grub, but the children are well catered for - including the ubiquietous chicken nuggets/fish fingers etc. I really can't rate them high enough. A superb place to dine.

Norfolk

The Queens Head, Hethersett, Norwich - this is child friendly pub/restaurant with a good supply of high chairs and an outdoor play area. My six year old daughter loves the salad bar and the chicken nuggets are made with "real" chicken breast.

My favourite child friendly restaurant is the White Horse Pub, Norwich.

Northamptonshire

The Giffard Park, Giffard Park, Milton Keynes.

North Yorkshire

We like Graveleys which is at Green Hammerton (on the A59). It is a fish restaurant and they provide high chairs, baby changing facilities, crayons and paper for little ones. Nothing is too much trouble. The staff are always friendly and helpful and they are also just building a childrens' play area as well. Top marks...

Our Restaurant recommendation is Meltons 2, Walmgate, York. We took our 8 month old daughter, the staff were very friendly. The meal was prepared specially for her at our request, the staff could not do enough for her and paid her lots of attention. What could have been a stressful outing was very enjoyable, I would recommend it to anyone.

Nottinghamshire

We would recommend the The Lobster Pot in Nottingham.

Somerset

The Maypole Inn, North Petherton

Staffordshire

Catch Corner Inn, Stafford, Junction 13, M6.

Suffolk

Our favourite family restaurant is the Rushbrook Arms, Rushbrook, Bury St Edmunds.

Ask, Cardinal Park, Ipswich

Surrey

The King's Head, Frimley Green

West Midlands

My favourite family place to eat is the Railway Inn, Whitacre Heath, Coleshill, Birmingham. It's well worth the trip. Friendly staff, plenty of room to sit and play, good food at low prices. A large play area outside with my kids favourite - a mini zoo with a donkey, goats, chickens, ducks and rabbits. No complaints are made when children don't sit still (unlike the Mill House in Erdington where we were told the children were welcome as long as they sat still and were quiet!) and there are plenty of crayons and colouring sheets for while indoors. Children can claim a free lollipop if they hand in their colouring and there is also some Lego and wooden bricks.

West Sussex

Highdown Towers Restaurant, Highdown, Worthing

The Black Rabbit, Arundel

West Yorkshire

The Star Inn & The Garden Restaurant, Batley Rd, Kirkhamgate, Wakefield - fantastic food even better play area and great for all of the family! Highly reccommended!

Solemio, Huddersfield

Wiltshire

The Hunters Moon, Country and Sports Club in Warminster

Our favourite family-friendly restaurant is The Firehouse Rotisserie, Bristol

Worcestershire

Strawberry Fields in Evesham. They have a play area, colouring books, everything.

The Tardebigge, Near Bromsgrove, Worcester

My most family friendly eating place is the Natural Break Cafe, Blackwell Street, Kidderminster

Scotland

The AshVale at Bridge of Don, Aberdeen is fantastic for children - nice sized children's portions of healthy fish and chips at reasonable prices. They also do the best haggis supper for daddies! Nice waitress service and both they and the chef are really friendly. Crayons and colouring is provided and they do a scheme where you can collect stationery on each visit.

We have just came back from a 2 week visit to the UK and came across a very kid friendly restaurant in Dundee. It was a Hungry Horse Pub/Restaurant called "The Marmalade Pot." They had an incredible play barn for the kids that had Nintendo as well. They also had an extensive kids menu with photos on it so the little ones could order themselves. The food was good and the prices were incredible!! They also had a good supply of high chairs for the babies. If we had a restaurant like that back home in New Orleans there would be a queue to get in every night.

The Bell Tree, Panmurefield Road, by Dundee

Wales

Our favourite family friendly restaurant is the Pentre Gwilym in Thornhill, Cardiff.