Walthamstow is an increasingly popular place to start a family, with a host of fantastic parent and baby activities, community groups, green spaces, leisure facilities and places to eat and drink.
When you’re looking for a baby friendly restaurant it’s easy to fall back on the familiar nationwide chains, as you can generally guarantee that they’ll have all the facilities you need, but part of the reason we created Baby Friendly London was to highlight all the great independent restaurants that cater to parents with babies. From artisan pasta to authentic tapas, from vegan burgers to Sunday roast, here’s our pick of the best baby friendly restaurants in Walthamstow…
Eat17
Eat17 is a local institution, a relaxed bistro attached to an upmarket grocery store that was described by The Times as “an epicurean family-run Spar that makes Waitrose seem basic”. While Eat17 stores can now be found all over London (and beyond), the Walthamstow branch is the original, and the only one with a restaurant. Slap bang in the middle of lovely Walthamstow Village, it’s a great spot for brunch with a baby, and the menu ranges from buttermilk pancakes to generous mezze plates to juicy steaks. The Sunday roast was also absolutely tip-top when we tried it, and the more sophisticated evening ambience lends itself well to a date night when you’re ready to leave the little one with a babysitter. There are plenty of highchairs, room to manoeuvre a pushchair, and a spacious unisex baby change in the disabled toilet.
Orford Saloon Tapas + Deli
Right next door to Eat17 on Orford Road is Orford Saloon, a fantastic tapas restaurant that serves up an authentic taste of Spain. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely glass of wine or two (if baby allows!) and sample a range of dishes from the menu, especially on a sunny day when you can sit in the cosy rear garden or out the front of the restaurant, and almost imagine you’re in Barcelona or Madrid rather than the Costa del Walthamstow. At the front of the restaurant is a well-stocked deli, where you can pick up Spanish goodies and wine to take home with you. Highchairs are provided for little ones, and the baby changing facilities are accessible to both mums and dads.
The Kitchen
Also on Orford Road, just the other side of the little village square, is The Kitchen, a friendly little restaurant run by hands-on owners Billy and Mel. It’s great spot for a baby friendly brunch, with a menu that is broadly European in flavour, though with occasional dishes from more exotic cuisines. During the pandemic the local restrictions on outdoor seating were relaxed, and the restaurant now spills into the street. We can’t think of a better place to be on a sunny day on Orford Road than sat outside The Kitchen with an Aperol Spritz! Highchairs are provided for little ones, and the baby change facilities are unisex.
The Collab
The Collab is a fairly recent addition to bustling Hoe Street, a short walk from Walthamstow Central station. The restaurant is a joint venture between craft brewery Signature Brew, renowned for their beer collaborations with bands including Mogwai and Hot Chip, and purveyors of all things burgers and wings We Serve Humans, who have put together a mouthwatering menu that encompasses both carnivorous and plant-based comfort food. The space is modern, hip but also accessible, and it’s very family friendly, with highchairs and unisex baby change facilities available.
Arte e Pasta
Arte e Pasta is a new venture from the people behind Wanstead’s highly rated Bombetta, situated slightly off the beaten track on Shernhall Street, on the eastern fringes of Walthamstow Village. Although the restaurant launched in the midst of the pandemic, it’s quickly become one of Walthamstow’s top destinations for in-the-know foodies, with a menu focused on sharing plates using high quality ingredients imported from Italy. Highchairs are provided, the baby changing facilities are available to both mums and dads, and you also have the Ravenswood Estate just over the road, where you’ll find the neon wonderland of God’s Own Junkyard and several breweries.
Let us know in the comments what you think of our selection – are there any great baby friendly restaurants in Walthamstow that we’ve missed? And remember, if you’ve been to any of our featured venues with a baby then please do leave a review on our site, and let other parents know what your experience was like.