Family Friendly Eateries: Monthly restaurant review

Family Friendly Eateries provides monthly reviews and recommendations for parents/guardians looking for child-friendly restaurants, cafes, pubs and venues around Nottingham and beyond.

Alison (Mum-of-two) champions family and child-friendly places to dine out. She is on quest to find the best venues that are truly suited for families with young children and encourages other parents to share their reviews on the Family Friendly Eateries community platform.

“The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating”

This month Alison reviewed the Portello Lounge in West Bridgford

First impressions: We met up with a mummy friend and her little daughter for a catch-up at Portello Lounge on a Friday. As soon as you walk in, you get a real homely feel. We both had our pushchairs and there was plenty of space to put them close by.

The food: I contemplated the salad (for a few seconds) but couldn’t resist a meaty plate. I had the ‘Diner Brunch’ that cost £9.25 – you get three hefty buttermilk pancakes with smoked streaky bacon, maple syrup, barbecue beans, mini hash browns and two fried eggs. I almost finished it but left half a pancake. For portion size, this was decent but would have been better if it included a tea or coffee at that price. My daughter nibbled off my plate and fortunately there was plenty of food to share. They have a gluten-free menu too. Top marks for the chefs at Portello Lounge – I’ve not been disappointed with any meal yet.

Atmosphere and entertainment: Cosy atmosphere with some board games and Lego bricks for the kids and grown-ups to play with. I like the fact that Portello Lounge goes the extra mile with a small range of toys to keep the kids entertained. I do think there should be more ‘things to do’ for toddlers such as an activities corner which can distract the children while the parent gets to eat but at the same time, I understand it is a restaurant after all and not a soft-play centre!