Child friendly restaurants, indoor playground and pet sitting
If you haven’t discovered it yet, www.Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues, parties and lessons. You’ll also find us on your cell phone.
FAMILY FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS
Crowthorne Midrand; Silver Lakes Pretoria East; Pineslopes Fourways- Radiokop near Clearwater Mall branches Child friendly, family restaurants with kids pizza making, baking and play area.
Ludwig’s Rose Farm, Spiced Coffee Restaurant & Butterfly Garden
Pretoria North Gauteng
The roses are in their autumn splendour of colour and size. Feast on the eye candy of arrangements of roses, relax on the tractor train ride or visit the Butterfly Garden. Join the Lizette Jonker and the Ludwig’s Team for a day of children’s fun
Irene Dairy Farm Centurion Pretoria. Dairy farm for day outings, dairy shop, family picnics. Your kids can watch the cows being milked at 2pm daily. Enjoy a lovely picnic on the lawns while the kids play on the jungle gym – To order a picnic basket, please order in advance.
Primi Piatti has branches across Joburg and Pretoria in Irene, Menlyn and Centurion. They offer kids pizza making, fun activities, kids menu, baby high chairs
INDOOR PLAYGROUND
Free entry for kids under 12mnths, Orango Tangos in Ferndale, Randburg, Open 7 days a week from 9- 5 or 6pm
New entrance fees – fixed rates (stay as long as you wish). Kids over 18 months – R60 weekdays and R70 weekends/ hols. Kids 12-18 months – R40. They have Jungle gyms for toddlers and older kids, bumper cars, indoor soccer field, soft toy areas for little ones, Playstation 3 consoles, pool table, table tennis…
PLAN FOR HOLIDAY SITTING
Free pet sitting day for advance holiday bookings by an organization that organizes house, pet sitting, au pairs and tutors for private or group tuition depending on your needs at reasonable rates in Johannesburg and Pretoria
Next week we will be back with ideas for holiday activities and camps for the Easter Holidays.
Anyone interested to find out more about Jozikids as a company can tune into Big Small Business Show on DSTV channel 412 from Monday 5 March at 21:10, with repeats on Tuesday at 09:10, Wednesday at 16:30 and Friday at 18:10.
A Feastt, for sure!
by Kerry Haggard, a writer married to a publisher, and is mother to the two most beautiful boys that ever there were. She thinks she needs a bumper sticker that says “ My kids are raised on a diet of love and Star Wars.” Follow her on Twitter @KerryHaggard
I’ve been to Feastt in Parktown North a few times now – and I’ll be going back many more times in the future.
This last Sunday I met a friend for lunch, and took along the two little Haggards, who had given me grey hairs in a stressful shopping mall experience that morning. The only way I could get them to behave was to threaten that we wouldn’t go to Feastt – that’s how much they love going there.
The restaurant is in a converted house just downhill from the Parktown North shopping centre – whose parking lot you use. There are tables inside, and on a covered patio, and then there are loads of tables out in the garden near the playground. This means that there’s a spot for everyone –whether you want to go and have quiet meal away from the children, or whether you want to keep a close on what they’re up to.
The playground has been wonderfully designed and built around two massive palm trees, which means it’s in a lot of shade. It’s a massive wooden structure that offers slides, tunnels, peekaboo windows and a combat net, all spiced up with rope swings and fireman’s poles. The ground is covered
in beach sand, which is a whole fun experience in itself.
To break up the exciting play space, the restaurant offers baking lessons for the kids – my boys made biscuits on Sunday. Every time we’ve been they’ve made friends with other children there.
The menu is big enough to be interesting, but small enough to not be intimidating. I’ve had the steak sandwich, which was so good I had to buy a bottle of Feastt’s Onion Marmalade, and the salmon salad, which was generous and delicious. I’ve had the vegetable board, and my husband had the meat board – those were a little disappointing – but everything else has looked great, and the prices are very reasonable.
The children’s menu is particularly reasonably priced, and has been created with kids in mind. The options are nutritious, with the right blend of good sense with a bit of naughtiness in mind. My boys had their white chocolate fudge sundaes for dessert this week – and oh my goodness, they looked heavenly… and all for R15.
The owners are present and involved, and have been smart about addressing the bee problem that seems to be everywhere in Joburg at the moment. They’ve found out that a small dish of smouldering coffee grinds chases insects away – an ecofriendly solution to a problem that’s plaguing many restaurants with outdoor eating areas.
Many of their baked goods and preserves are on sale too – so you can stock up your grocery cupboard while you’re there.
I would really recommend Feastt if you’re looking for a family meal out, or if you’re looking to meet friends and want your little people to have lots of fun while you’re catching up. They’re not licensed yet, so take your own alcohol if you want to – but they really do have everything you need for a great family meal out.
Family friendly rugby viewing & kids theatre
If you’re a rugby fan, I’m sure you’d love to find a great family restaurant with a big screen to watch the rugby with your kids. check our list below to see if you can find something. You can also check out our restaurants page to find more places to go. Booking is essential.
RUGBY VIEWING – FAMILY RESTAURANTS
In Pretoria & Centurion
Jingle Jangle Tea Garden Moreleta Park, Pretoria
Watch the “Bokke”fight it out at our family friendly restaurant/tea garden with a petting zoo for kids. Our facility includes the use of all our jungle gyms, sandpits, trampolines (1 enclosed), plastic scooters, jumping castle, swings and large play area. We also have pony rides. Our menu is extensive ranging from breakfasts to our very popular slow baked lamb shank or finger licking king size prawns served with our special Italian sauce.
Villa San Giovanni traditional Italian food, Wonderboom Airport,Pretoria. Join as at our family friendly restaurant to enjoy delicious traditional Italian food and watch the rugby on one of our screens. Kids are also welcome in our special dedicated play area.
Purple Cow Restaurant Midfield Clubhouse, Midstream,Centurion
Come and watch the World Cup Rugby matches at Purple Cow Restaurant! Ice cold beer, promos, lucky draws and much much more! Kids can play while mom and dad watch the rugby – safe, plenty space to run around and new menu items to die for!
Johannesburg
Alek’s Kitchen Family Restaurant w/ grazing animals, Chartwell
We’ll have 2 normal TV screens available for rugby watching on Sunday ( sorry no plasma ones). Bring the family and enjoy a delicious meal in this unique setting with a relaxed atmosphere. While your meal is being freshly prepared, watch Springbuck and Blesbuck graze. The children can work up an appetite on the swings and jungle gym We have a special kiddies menu for hungry tummies.
Zoo Lake Sports Club Parktown, Jhb
We’ll have several large TV screens up for you to watch while your family enjoys their meal with us. We also have a large secure playground with jungle gyms, slides, swings, a trampoline and more for your kids to enjoy while you get into the business of supporting our team.
TSG 4 Ways Mediterranean Grill Cafe, Fourway
Join the fans to support your favourite team at our family friendly mediterranean grill cafe. A dedicated play area housing playstation and DVD’s to offer comfort and fun for children who can amuse themselves in this space at length
Johannesburg & Pretoria
Primi Piatti with Primi Pods for kids in Jhb & Pta
Come to Primi Piatti -Eastgate, Cresta, Fourways, Irene, Menlyn, Randpark Ridge, Sunninghill and Stoneridge, with the whole family and catch your team LIVE in action during the Rugby World Cup. With Primi PODS for the kids, they’re part of the experience – they can make their own pizzas, play with dough, colouring in and just having fun! A special kiddies menu is available.
Vaal Triangle
Stonehaven on the Vaal garden restaurant, Vaal
We’ll have big plasma screens in our garden restaurant for you to spurr our team on while your kids play. Our children’s play area is designed so that you can enjoy your meal while watching your children thrive on all the kiddies activities including jumping castle trampoline, pool, tree house, jungle gym, sand pit.
JOBURG ZOO & BOKKE MONTH
And then the Joburg Zoo is celebrating from Friday to Sunday. They’ve called it Bokke Month. Zoo visitors who wear Sringbok jerseys on Fridays and match days stand a chance to win spot prizes. They’ll also be running animal enrichment activities about the zoo’s very own bokkies. On weekends there’ll also be face painting for kids.
KIDS THEATRE STARTING THIS WEEK.
We’ve got 2 new kids theatre productions to tell you about that open on tomorrow September 12th in Joburg.
The Pied Piper and other Tales opens at the National Children’s Theatre in Parktown and runs until October 15th. It’s a fantastic interactive adventure filled with song, dance, magic, love, laughter and a happy ending. There will be 2 shows a day from Monday to Saturday at 10.30am & 2.30pm
Fun, Magic and Tales from Africa also starts on September 12th at the Peoples Theatre in Braamfontein. It runs until October 9th. This is a theatre production of African fairytales. Each tale has a strong moral or social message and the professional cast involve the audience in a fun performance. From Monday to Friday the show will be performed at 9 and 11 am in the morning and on Saturdays at 10.30 and 2.30pm
Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful day and I’ll be back next Sunday with ideas of what you can do with your kids.
Family friendly restaurants
Catch Merle from Jozikids.co.za on Jacaranda FM with Amor Vittone, every Sunday morning, to find out what to do with your kids and families today and in the week ahead.
Here are a list of family friendly restaurants that are open today and will also be open on Election Day – a day you can still turn into a great family adventure.
In Johannesburg , there are 2 great child friendly Italian restaurants where kids can make their own pizzas Picolino’s in Fourways and Angelo’s Kitchen
in Bryanston where you can also order healthy pizzas, even gluten free ones if you want. In Melville, there’s Bambanani’s with great covered jungle gym and supervised activities for kids. You can sit by the fire if it’s cold outside, even work on your computer if you need to while your kids play outside under the watchful eyes of childminders.
In Heathway near Cresta Shopping Centre there’s a Mike’s Kitchen with a jungle gym in sand so your little one’s don’t hurt themselves and there are playstations for the older ones.
On the West Rand there’s Lemon Thyme with several wooden jungle gyms and if you want to head towards the Magaliesberg, near Hekpoort there’s Goblin’s Cove Fantasy Restaurant situated in a forest setting with goblins and gnomes, a kids sandpit and a painting corner.
In Pretoria,there’s the Cornish Kettle Teagarden in Irene and in Moreleta Park and Jingle Jangle Tea Garden in Moreleta Park.
On the East Rand there’s Fahrenheit Seafood and Grill in Edenvale with a fantasy playground and wonderful food. They also have a branch in Benoni.
If you want to spend the day on the Vaal River – catch a barge, buffet, a restaurant that prides itself on being the biggest garden restaurant in the region you can visit Stonehaven on the Vaal
Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful family day tomorrow and I’ll be back with Merle from Jozikids next Sunday with ideas of what you can do with your kids next week.
Get ready to munch!
Kerry Haggard is mom to Daniel (5) and Matthew (2), the two most beautiful boys that ever there were. She spends her weekends hunting the suburbs for that elusive combination: a restaurant with good food where her boys can play without breaking the furniture and crockery. Follow her on Twitter: @KerryHaggard
As a point of principle, a while ago I refused to go to the Twigs restaurant at the Garden Centre on the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue at the lower side of Rosebank – even though it has one of the nicer kiddies’ playgrounds in a restaurant near my home. The food was good when they got your order right, but the service was indifferent at best and shocking at worst. Apart from my own bad experiences, I could no longer deal with my husband’s grumpiness about the place, as it was his orders that they seemed to mess up the most.
So when I saw that the restaurant had changed to munch, I took a deep breath and arranged to meet my friend and her grandlets there on Saturday afternoon. What a pleasant surprise!
The covered patio now goes around two sides of the building, and the décor is mostly white with touches of lilac. All very elegant, and very Parktown North. The menu is much smaller, but I think that allows the chef to be more focused. The hamburgers are still to die for, the roasted butternut and beetroot salad special was hearty and tasty, and my friend’s fish and chips looked outstanding. They still have the pizza oven, and although pizzas are not on the menu, it seems that they have pizza specials each day according to inspiration or available ingredients.
Munch also has a kiddies’ menu, with classics like toasted sarmies, fish fingers and baby pizzas (which looked big enough to satisfy my appetite) – basic food, but the kind of food that little people love.
The staff are interested, attentive and friendly, although it took a lot of waving to attract enough attention to get the bill.
Main courses for adults are between R50 and R70 per plate on average, while the children’s food is around R30 per portion.
The good: The playground has been updated a bit, and is still a huge hit with the littlies.
The bad: There isn’t a bad – we had a great time, ate good food, and look forward to going back.
The ugly: You need to use loos which belong to the GardenShop nursery. They are dingy, dark and far away from the restaurant, and there are still no changing facilities to cater for littlies with junk in their trunk.
Click here for more info about munch
