Child Friendly Restaurants in Carlow

In our opinion, a family friendly café or restaurant should welcome children and not just tolerate them.  Ideally they should have an imaginative children's menu, plenty of high chairs, colouring materials and a changing area for babies.  At the very least, healthy food options and high chairs are a good start.  Below is a selection of child-friendly restaurants in Carlow based on a combination of personal experience and references from friends:

The Forge, Ballon, Carlow is great for home baking and local produce. Perfect after a visit to Altamont Gardens.

The Lord Bagenal Restaurant & Bar, Leighlinbridge offer a children's menu where children can order half-portion meals. They also provide colouring sheets and crayons and have a play corner for kids.

Mulberry’s restaurant at The Arboretum Lifestyle & Garden Centre, Leighlinbridge where families can enjoy a range of tastes and flavours from their extensive menu. The restaurant is self-catering and is spacious both indoors and outdoors.

The Rattlebag Cafe, Carlow town - Sue and the staff enjoy the kids as much as kids enjoy going there. The Café/Bistro has an extensive menu for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea serving traditional home baking and use fresh local produce and ingredients. Open Monday to Saturday

Eddie Rockets, Shamrock Plaza, Tullow Street, Carlow is an American style diner with large red leather booths that fit up to 8 people plus individual jukeboxes on the tables.  They serve gourmet hamburgers, subs, salads, nachos and hotdogs.  They have a kids' menu and novelty gift for kids. There are changing facilities and plenty of highchairs.

The Mullicháin Café, St Mullins, a tastefully restored 18th century canal storehouse, offers a menu of sandwiches, salads, and a few desserts. They also offer gluten free alternatives. It has a rustic feel and upstairs they have a few comfortable and simple couches. Outdoor seating area along the river. The Mullicháin Café is now closed for 2011 and will reopen 10th March 2012.

Rathwood Restaurant is a very spacious and family-friendly restaurant There is quite an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, with plenty of items suitable for children. Outdoor seating area with climbing frames to keep the kids occupied while you enjoy a cup of coffee or bite to eat.

The Chocolate Garden of Ireland, Tullow- You can have a drink and something to eat all the while enjoying the delicious aromas which emanate from making fudge and chocolates. Outdoor seating area with playframes, sandpit and garden area.

The Dolmen Hotel - At the Sunday Carvery, the kids can also enjoy the fun-filled kids' activities every Sunday in the Killeshin Suite. With a bouncing castle, face painting activities and movies, there are plenty to amuse the little ones, while you sit back and relax in the Barrow Grill.