If your nerves, and your friends, can stand it, taking your family with you when you go out for dinner could save you a fortune.

Restaurants are now going all continental and actively courting babies and children. Sounds mad, but it's happening all over.

From budget to bonanza
It starts at the very bottom with budget motorway caffs like the Little Chef, which is currently courting kids with a vengeance.

Among the come-ons for parents are: Free organic baby food for babies under one, and as well as a children's menu which offers a choice of hot meal, ice lolly and fizzy drink for under a fiver, children walk away with a lollipop and a free CD at the end of the meal. Beats forcing down a cheese sandwich in the back of the car!

Café Rouge win the award for best adult/child atmosphere. It manages to cater for kids without turning the place into a fairy grotto or importing plastic toadstools to sit on. Children are charmed into silence on arrival and presented with a mini pack of crayons and a menu which doubles as a stickerboard and colouring book. Standard children's fare, but top marks for the bargain of the month a massive bowl of posh grownup ice cream for 75p. Worth lying about your age for.

Party on
Specifically-designed children's restaurants like The Rainforest Café in London's Shaftesbury Avenue are fine for birthdays, but can be a bit wearisome for adults and a tad high on sensory overload if you just need a straightforward pitstop. For a real child-centred occasion which won't leave the grownups reaching for the door, the Japanese grill restaurant Benihana which has branches in London's Swiss Cottage, Chelsea and Piccadilly, is hard to beat. The food is cooked at the table in front of your eyes by a chef who rivals the resident clown for entertainment value.

But for regular family Saturday nights out the cheapest and best option is to introduce them to what you're having a bit at a time. Chinese, Spanish, Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants are perfect for this just order what you want and ask for an extra plate.

Japanese is also very child-friendly nowadays, ever since YO! Sushi has hit town. If they are squeamish about sushi (though there is no reason to be and they will immediately gravitate towards the revolving belt, the bright colours and the dinky plates) under-12s can eat free from a chicken nugget/potato faces style kids' menu, but keep an eye on your plate, they'll have hoovered up your yakitori before you can say itadakimasu.

Disclaimer While every effort has been taken to ensure accuracy at time of publication, this information may be subject to change. Always phone to check availablity. Café Rouge: 01582 424200 Little Chef: 01525 878324 YO! Sushi: 020 7841 0700 The Rainforest Café: 020 7434 3111 Benihana: 020 7586 9508.

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