Tea Time Fun For Families At Fortnum's

Enticing window displays. Huge flowers and animals to entertain children. Look closely and you will see a gold topped Champagne bottle in the lower middle.

 Upstairs in Fortnum & Mason food store in Jermyn Street, London.

I had a freshly squeezed orange juice. Hard to find in London. But everywhere in Singapore.

Teeny ice cream cone came with the double espresso. 

A informative placemat for adults, with a reverse for kids to colour.

Useful Website on Fortnum's

fortnumandmason.com

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Save the ocean - wines under water

 

At the Real Italian Wine & Food Experience trade show at Excel in London, I met this lady who was promoting her wines, underwater wines. The wines are aged underwater, in the cool water.

My favourite design of their attractive labels is the one with the two seahorses facing each other.

The labels

Seahorses - distilled dry gin

Water snails

The label are made from sustainable forest paper. No plastic. They support an ocean charity.

Wonderful Wines & Spirits

Lots more to read on their website.

Useful Website on 

https://marinium.it/en/products/

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Excel Exhibition Centre - the excellent best and worst for travel and toilets

 Excel this year I was at The Real Italian Wine And Food Experience. 

Excel, Prince Regent DLR station entrance/exit. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Toilets

The absolute best was the juxtaposition of the entrance on the ground floor and the toilets also on the ground floor opposite.

This end of the gigantic venue, larger than some airports, is best. You still have a five minute dog leg or L shape walk to Prince Regent station. The semi-circular 4 star hotel has a spa and gym, delegates who stayed there told me. The hotel is conveniently right outside.

Left, the multi coloured hotel. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Behind it is a large car park.

Advantages of Prince Regent Station DLR

Although one DLR stop further from central London, best for events at the end furthest from the Custom House station end. 

The PR station has a convenient lift behind the long staircase.

Advantages Of Custom House Station DLR

This alternative Custom House station is at the big entrance which is for larger events occupying the entire building or shows at this end. 

The walkway above from the station passes a wall of green plants on your left. On the right you pass restaurants and a coffee shop.

Toilets on Two Levels

Inside Excel from the Custom House DLR direction, the first toilets you reach are down stairs. Not ideal if you are carrying goods to or from the show. Good if you want to get some exercise. If you can wait, you can use the ground floor toilet at the Prince Regent station exit at the other end. 

The hall is the size of a major airport. I wish they would instal a travelator!

DLR stands for Docklands Light Railway. 

TFL Transport For London.

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Organic wines from Sardinia, Italian Island - and agrotourism - stay on the farm by the winery

 

Wines from Sardinia, which is an Italian island in the Mediterranean.  

Top, map pf Europe showing Sardinia off the west coast of Italy.  Lower map showing Gonnostramatza village inland on the riverside.

The business has a restaurant, a farm, cheeses, cookery classes, and b and b at the farm.  Recent reviews raved about the farm animals, sheep, goats, horses, the warm welcome from the brothers who run the place and the home cooked food. You can also buy their wines, Very pleasant whites, rose and red.

The bottles carry the label Fattoria Cuscusa. Fattoria is not factory but farm. The local co-operative group produces Vermenitino Di Sardegna, a name of controlled origin, which can be applied only to the Vermentino grape, produced in Sardinia. In other words, a uniquely Sardinian product, using that grape.

The owner's nice niece, Elena, told me.

The wines come from Gonnostramatza, a small village astride a river, whose two banks of the large part and the smaller part are linked by three bridges. 

Pastura Biological wine bottle label. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Useful Websites About Sardinian Wines And Winery Farm B & B

https://www.italia.it/en/sardinia/gonnostramatza

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Agriturismo+Fattoria+Cuscusa+Gonnostramatza/@39.6631863,8.8066531,17z

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Seaside sandy Soil Vineyard in Sardinia

 Sand is great for fighting the vine-destroying phyloxera insect which killed vines a century ago. Vineyards are not the only crops which can fail. In the last decade olives had a threat.

The sand requires a vine with strong roots. The Sardinian vines here also benefit from the savoury, not salty but savory aroma. Sea air in a glass.

You can go for tastings buying one glass or a flight.

The sun and sea make this special.

The nw airport is Alghero. That area speaks 

The town of Bardesi has the long beaches.

Wine from Sardinia Pareda zone and wine name

 

Vino Rosato, 

(pink) or rosé wine, from 

 Meana Sardo is the name of the village. Three grape varieties.

You can order feom their website as little as one bottle to test it out but the postage is more economical spread over a case of 6 bottes or more.

They are small but can organize tastings for groups on request.

People fly into the  Cagliari airport in the south.

A meandering road,

 Off the beaten track.

The owner is Filippo Podda.

I met him in London, at Excel.

He speaks some English and his leaflets are in both Italian or English. 

Sardinian food is fabulous and zI hope to go there in a year or two. My husband Trevor has written a book on island wines, called Isle Drink

Learn Italian on Duolingo

I have been brushing up my Italian on Duolingo, which has improved a lot recently with listening and speaking exercises.

Useful Websites on Italy and Sardinian Wines

Www.cantinameana.it

In the middle of Sardinia. Nothing major to see here but it is the mid point between 

Tizzy with Tiziano traditional method

 

Stay in an Italian Monastery near Sicily

 

Olive oils: light, medium and strong

 

Cesar

I tried light and strong olive oils. The strong one is slightly bitter, considered favourable, peppery.

Light oil on the left., medium in the middle, strong on the right.

Light oil goes with raw meat and fish, for crudites, and shrimp. And cooking even eggs.

The medium oil goes with poultry, such as chicken, and other white meats such as quail. Turkey. 

For the stronger oil go with red meat and veal which has a stronger flavour. Braised meat. Even soup.

Now only in Italy, or from their website by post.

They are looking for an importer.

All oils have different end or after flavours what is unique about these, says  co-owner, family business, two brothers. They have an estate, with bed and breakfast. You can tour the olive grove, phone or email to book, with small restaurant open only for residents, old lady cook and Mr  Cesare Renzo is a great chef, when they are open June to September, when he is not busy pruning and harvesting.

Store in a cupboard with doors out of the light.

I asked how long it lasts. They looked surprised. They use up a bottle of oil in a large family in a week. They don't use butter. In Calabria a family of four uses 100 litres a year. They do have cows but prefer oil to butter. Less fat than butter. In the middle ages oil was considered beneficial. They love their olive oil. Used for bread with oil as a snack to start a meal.  To make pizza dough. Grilled vegetables such as zucchini and tomatoes and aubergines for both cooking and keeping, preserving, and some preserving dried traditional sausages.

Trade show for distributors, restaurants and hotels.

The bed and breakfast has 9 rooms overlooking either olive or lemon groves, en suite shower rooms, no baths. The locality is a dry area, so they avoid using too much water. You will find dry stone and wood located inside a medieval monastery.

Useful website on olive oil.

Www

Almond paste filled biscuits - yummy - from an Italian bakery and restaurant

 

My favourite food from Forno  Minitti, almond paste or marzipan filled biscuity buns, the highlight of the Italian  Food & Wine trade show at Excel. Some of them tasted of bergamot.

The jolly gentleman keen for passers-by to stop and try his latest buns and biscuits.  He always something new to taste, as the enterprising company is constantly introducing new tastes and recipes. 

This was the latest brochure., 

Forno is Italian for oven, like our English word furnace, or the French four..

I met them at the Real Italian Wine & Food Experience, a trade show at Excel, where Italian companies were showing their products to prospective buyers, restaurants, hotels and distributors, hoping to expand their reach and export lots more, not only from their own restaurants and shops in Italy and around the world from websites.

If you have a dream or plan of visiting them, the Forno Minniti company is in the south of Italy at Reggio Calabria, known as the toe of Italy. From here ferries go to Sicily. They are planning an even quicker link, a bridge project, which should take place in a year or two after the authorities have dealt with other priorities.

So this is a great place to stop on your way to Sicily, or as a destination in its own right. The old city, dates back to pre Christ, when it was a Greek colony, and you can learn and see more in the museum of archaeology. 

All around you is a view of blue sea and sky, with a backdrop of stunning, silhouetted  Mount Etna Volcano. It is an active volcano. The earth sometimes shakes. But they are not worried. The last one to hit Messina city in Sicily, and Reggio Calabria town, was way back more than a hundred years ago in 1908. They are not expecting another for 300 years. Besides, they reassure me, now they are prepared with better building regulations.

The local wines include the best known Nerello Calabrese red wine.

The same family owns a restaurant named Cibus Minniti located in Via Nicola Furnari, 18 IT89129 .it where you can taste local characteristic dishes and all the products of Forno Minniti. For example, savoury panettone, and olive or onion biscuits..

More details from

www.cibusminniti

www.fornominniti.it

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Three chocolate Panettone near Milan

 In Brescia, an hour from Milan which is the capital of the Lombardy region, you can visit their shop, and see about ten flavours of panettone, different every year. After visiting the shop you could ask to see the factory in the afternoons when it is quiet and not operation. They can introduce you to wine, Franciacorta. 

In London they are looking for shops, restaurants and hotels, and to sell gifts for customers souvenirs, all year, not only Christmas. 

Some of the panettone last 4 months according to the expiry date, but they say it can last for more than 6 months, depending on the temperature, ambient not too hot nor too cold. 

Useful Website on Chocolate Panettone

www.marzoilpasticcere.it

3 ways to make or extend a fabric belt

 When travelling, you can wear a plain black dress in the daytime and transform it into an evening outfit with a gold belt or an embroidered belt and smalll sequin clutch bag. (A man can pack a cravat or bow tie in case you get invited to a wedding  farewell dinner or funeral.)

I bought two Indigo Moon belts. Secondhand, from Ebay. Both belts were small size, returns not accepted. I saw both. I ordered only one, in case small was too small. It was okay, good enough. So I ordered the second belt.

The elaborate embroidery clashed and got lost alongside a patterned garment. But brightened up a plain black or red.

Risks of Small Sizes

What about the size? Both belts were a tight fit, with no room for growing larger, temporarily after a large meal. Nor permanently after many large meals.

 But a fabric belt can be extended. Then fastened.

1 Add Ribbons

 Just add two horizontal ribbons in the middle of each of the small ends of the oblong.

2 A second system - Hook & Close

Hook and close, also  known under the brand name Velcro.

3  Use a Big Brooch

You can buy them with mock pearls or donut bead sparkles, in sets of two, four, six or more.

If the pin of the larger size won't push through or makes holes in the fabric, use one or two or more of the smaller size.

4 Spare Buckles

I have spare buckles savef from bags and belts which cracked and disintegrated. You can also buy buckles online. 

I have belts from old dresses, buckles and D rings from bags. Plus long zips from rucksacks and suicases which could turn a belt into a handy pocket for jogging and hiking. Or a secret pocket when out in crowds.

I saved a wide black elastic belt from a Xmas elf fancy dress costume.

Entertaining Children When Travelling To Restaurants, Pubs, Parties & Play Areas

English Pub Restaurants Children's Entertainment

In England pubs such as Wetherspoons are geared up for children and so are many more chains.

French American Themed Buffalo Grill

 In France the 2026 voted family favourite is American themed Buffalo Grill, which has more than 350 outlets. We went to one in Perpignan which had am outdoor play area, lots of amusing decor, and loads of activities in the kiddie pack. 

Buy Multi-pack coloured pencils

You can buy a multi-pack of sets of crayons for a children's birthday party in the UK and elsewhere in a restaurant which does not supply crayons. Also use them at home, or travelling with several children. Ideal if you run a restaurant or events, including a kiddie corner at weddings,  One pack of twelve crayons will do for a group of four children sharing for fifteen minutes before a meal, less to clear up than several sets. Or a set of four coloured pencils for each child. 

A multipack of 144 boxes for a school or restaurant costs about £30. A pack of 144 from Shuttle Art on Amazon costs a penny under £18. 

Wedding Kiddie Corner - Inspiration From Singapore

 I went to a wedding in Singapore which had a kiddie corner. The bride worked in a pre-school. She had invited the children to her wedding. Naturally she thought of keeping them entertained. Her wedding was one of those huge weddings which went on all day. First, family in the morning, extended family, including the mothers with small children. The afternoons, with the lunch buffet still going, was opened to adult friends, but their children were also welcome, and some of the family's children were still around.

If you are organizing a wedding or event where all the adults are given gifts, such as bags of almonds, not suitable for under threes), single use cameras, manicure sets, xmas/festive crackers with gifts (or fill your own set of DIY crackers) consider giving the children crayons, and a placemat to draw on. 

After you have given the children coloured pencils, what will they draw on?

DIY Child's Placemat

You can print off an A4 placemat, vertical or turned sideways, with the name of the event, or the venue, or the child's name. 

Add a picture of your child's favourite character or party theme at the top. Dinosaurs, unicorn, Princess, whatever. Or make a border or frame from repeated smileys or symbols. 

Add a flag of the destination country, or home country and holiday country, for a holiday. Or a wedding couple from different countries. Or add religious symbols for a baptism or Barmitzvah or other occasion, having checked that this would be acceptable and welcome. 

Divide the paper into a grid of four.

For entertainment stuck at home or in a hotel overseas on a rainy, snowy, stormy day, invest in coloured watercolour pencils. A huge department store with a large stationery section, or a big stationers, or an art and craft shop, is likely to have good value small sets of watercolour pencils.

 If you have a stick of paper glue, and only discarded paper which is printed on one side. glue together the two pieces of paper with the printed sides facing each other on the inside. If the print does not show through too much, you now have a thicker card on which the child can draw.

DIY Paper Booklet From Discarded Paper

For a diy pad, take a discarded envelope from your wastebin. Fold it in four or more. slit or cut the edges. Staple the pages together to make a child size booklet, or a dolls house book.

For just one child, a book with paints attached is good. Check whether the brush is included. If not, buy one, or bring one from home.

Paintbox Set For Home And Holiday Home

Not for a restaurant, but at home, a paintbox set, including a pencil for drawing a design, brush,8 pieces of paper, and lots of colours.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FYFCBHZ8/ref=sspa_dk_detail_right_aax_0?psc=1&aref=mQfOD7OsxL&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfcmlnaHRfc2hhcmVk

Useful Coloured Pencil Supplies For Travel & Parties

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shuttle-Art-Assorted-Break-resistant-Pre-sharpened/dp/B0D1KDNPV7/ref=sr_1_3_sspa

20 boxes of six coloured pencils, with four sharpeners.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FYFCBHZ8/ref=sspa_dk_detail_right_aax_0?psc=1&aref=mQfOD7OsxL&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfcmlnaHRfc2hhcmVk

Themes & Activities

https://thatsup.co.uk/london/guide/the-best-soft-play-centres-in-london/

https://loopla.com/blog/pubs-with-play-areas

https://www.thekidstable.co.uk/find-a-location/

More pricey than the pubs

https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/hub/things-to-do/themed-afternoon-tea-london-2026

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Restaurant Activity Books - and DIY Dinner Table Activity

Without a pen and paper, you might 

1 Make a hand puppet.

Bring one feom home. Mine were from bath gloves bought in a supermarket.

Turn a coloured folder inside out to get a part without printed text to make a theatre or a place for a game about telling secrets.

 Innocent secrets could be

Food I hate.

Songs I hate.

Scary nursery rhymes

Worst TV programmes. 

Things I broke. 

My accidents.

When I was late.

Things I lost.

Make a puppet from a glove or sock. Draw a face on a pale colour sock. Or on a darker sock use two shirt buttons for eyes and safety pins for nose and mouth.

2 Turn a paper napkin into origami fortune teller. 

Use Pen and Paper (Napkin) To Entertain

Draw two horizontal lines and two vertical lines across them to make a grid for noughts and crosses.  If you have an Ipad with a pen, draw a grid and play noughts and crosses, draw in the noughts and crosses. 

Or make a DIY booklet with paper and staples for the best of a series of 3, or 5, or 7 games

Play dots and boxes.

Instead of snakes and ladders, play spaghetti and tomatoes. 

Finger Puppets

Failing that, draw on your finger tips, a smiley face. If you have a water colour pencil with non toxic paint.

Here's the Church/Barn. Photo by Angela Lansbury

Or draw the people at dinner, eg father with moustache or glasses, or hat, or tie, mother with dress or saree, child with dress from Disney, baby large head, high chair, with big eyes, vertical oblong drink and straw. Stick figures. 

Play - Here's the Church / barn

When I was a child, at school I learned to play with fingers - 

Here's the church, here's the steeple, 

Open the gates and here are the people. 

Here's the church/barn. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Other version say doors instead of gates. 

Another version ends with another rhyming couplet, 

Here is the parson going upstairs, 

Here is the parson saying his prayers. 

If parson is an unfamiliar word, try person.

For those who are another religion or not religious, use the barn version.

Here Is The Barn

Here i is old the barn, let's open it wide,

Let’s all look inside where animals hide. 

Left are the horses, and right are the cows, 

They’re eating dinner and drinking right now. 

They’ll sleep here till night turns into day light. 

When we open doors, they’ll all trot away. 

Out in the pasture, they’ll eat grass and hay. 

Cows will moo loudly, glad horses will neigh.

Try reciting favourite nursery rhymes. Old ones. Or recent favourite songs.  the mouse ran up the clock. 

Mary had a little lamb. 

Incey wincey spider. 

The wheels on the bus. 

I changed the words to, 

The cup on the saucer went round and round, 

The cup on the saucer went up and down

It made a dreadful squeaky sound

Much too  long.

The spoon in the cup went round and round ...

The jug on the table went round and round

It got lost and was never found

Somebody must have put it down

On another table or on the ground.

The cake on the table (salt, pepper, bread, olives, pizza, ice cream, coffee, juice, milk, sweets)

Make up tea or dinner related words.

I've just invented this for a doll

Our child's daughter had a dolly

And First Dolly's friend was Molly

When our child went out to tea

She took photos so dollies could see.

If you are American you have a First Lady. If you are Chinese you have a number one son. Easy to create rhymes with first and second, or number one and so on.

Teach the child how to link both hands with fingers pointing downwards, raise the little fingers, then rotate wrists towards you so the fingers stick up to be people.

If you can't get a drawing and activity pad, here are some games to play.

1 MAKE A KIDDIE FAVOURITS MENU

Create a menu of a list of your favourite food.

(In advance copy the children's menu from the restaurant you are visiting or any other one visited previously. Crop to get pictures in the left hand column and print the list or pictures. If necessary, draw lines in pencil, and/or copy the words for the child / children to copy.

Or ask the child their favourite food. 

Eg Fish fingers, with chips. Ice cream.

With or without tomato ketchup?

Which colours? Save photos from one meal to make pictures for your menu on the next visit.

Save pictures to show the waiters and waitresses in restaurants overseas!

If you are creating your own menu from scratch, you can make a border of your child's favourite characters, Princess, Unicorn, teddy bear's picnic, doll, dolls house. 

How about a dolly at the restaurant. Of your child's name and the restaurant. 

Suggested food

Nibbles

Olives

Crisps

Nuts

Starter

Soup - tomato

Soup - vegetable

Soup - chicken

Main Course

Child's Menu

Vegetables

Peas

Sweetcorn

Corn on the cob

Salad - green

Salad - green and tomato

Lentils

Dessert

Fruit -

apple

oranges

grapes

banana 

Pear

Peach

Plum

Fruit salad

Ice cream - vanilla

strawberry

chocolate

mixed

nut

Sorbet

Raspberry

lemon

Cake

chocolate

cream

Drinks

Water

Sparkling water

Fruit juice 

Strawberry

Mango

Mixed juice

Chocolate drink

Ice cream sundae

String & Cat's Cradle

At one family reunion in a pub with children of all ages, we gave each child a book, whose title they had given us in advance. However, on the day, before lunch, instead of reading the books, the children all played games with the string we had been in a hurry to wrap the gifts, because we were in a hurry and couldn't find ribbon. The oldest girl, around 11 years old, showed the younger ones what to do with the string.

You can buy paint kit books, paint with water, which include paints, a brush and a workbook with outlines to fill in. (Purists suggest instead encouraging children to create their own pictures. But some of the sets include blank sheets as well.

You can also buy stencil sets with large cut outs so children cur practise drawing straight lines and circles and even wavy lines. Google water colouring books on amazon, ebay and in general. You will find items just over five or six pounds and under ten pounds.

Make A Fortune Teller

If you don't like telling fortunes, play a guessing

Useful Websites

https://www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-Fortune-Teller

https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Church-With-Your-Fingers (Includes barn words in comments.)

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kids-Restaurant-Activity-Book-Screen-Free/dp/B0DZNTHYVY/ref

https://www.farmhouseinns.co.uk/kids-menu

https://www.brewersfayre.co.uk/en-gb/kids-menu/brewers_fayre_kids_menu_priceless.pdf

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1870682905/kids-restaurant-menu-template-activity

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145656020026?_skw=paint+with+water+book (Brush needed. If you need a brush, pop into a cheap pharmacy and look for a cosmetics brush or set of cosmetics brushes for several children. The book activities include a list of food and grid for noughts and crosses.)

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Reviews and Crayons of Wolfox Savoy Restaurant and Wetherspoons

How To Remember The Restaurant name, Wolfox

How do you remember the name of the Wolfox Savoy restaurant? The name Wolfox is a combination of wolf and fox. But which comes first? Is it wolf fox, or fox wolf which has the initials alphabetically? Shorten the name to one word by using the letter f only once and you get Wolfox. 

Good and Bad Reviews of Wolfox

Reviews from other people about the Wolfox Savoy restaurant were mixed. We ignored the negatives, and the positives. We liked the look and location and wanted to try the food for ourselves. Remembering that we might be ordering different food, at a different day or time, in less or more of a hurry, with diners who were more or less fussy.

Good and Bad Review of Restaurants

Speed of Service

Wolfox - No Crayons, Pencils, Paper

For us the main drawback was no free paper and crayon for kids. Our fault that we forgot to remind each other to always carry something to entertain our grand-daughter, aged four. The only nearby shop had only a plain, lined paper book. She was happy enough drawing letters of the alphabet.

You might think that's a good thing. An oasis away from tiny children, who might be making noise and running around.

On the other hand, providing crayons and paper keeps children sitting at the table, stops them running around.

Wetherspoons For Children

Website photo and click on link above for Wetherspoons.

Our family had visited Wetherspoons pub earlier in the day which provided drawing paper and crayons

If only the parents had saved a crayon or two. But would that be theft? 

Are the crayons re-used? Do you want your small children sharing germs on crayons used by others? The company ought to put their names on the crayons so even if you take them, you are carrying their advertising, so  that taking the items is expected?  

Although you might not take the coloured pencils. the activity paper has the Wetherspoons logo. If you have written on it they cannot give it to anybody else, so it is ok to take it.

Parents Props from Souvenir Shops

The souvenir shops had lots of pictures and dolls with heads of royalty and UK and London symbols, but no games or notebooks and pens or card games for children. You could buy items aimed at smokers of cigarettes - or anything else, somebody explained to me. (I am not a drug taker. My expertise is only food and drink.

So, when all else fails, buy a large notebook and pen. 

Where To Buy Kiddie Entertainment

The mother and daughter left the Wolfox restaurant before ordering, looking for some kiddie entertainment to buy. Luckily the mother had already told us what they wanted to order.

Kiddie Food Options at Wolfox

Kiddie food options were the tea time circular spiral pastry. Chips. Olives - mind the stones!

For kiddie entertainment look in the big bookshops. Or toyshops such as Hamleys in Regent Street, walking down south from Piccadilly Circus station. On our last visit we did not see nor buy any small gifts. Our grand-daughter spied a Pepper Pig Dolls House, at vast expense, a two figure sum, more suitable for her upcoming birthday than a souvenir of the day, or entertainment over tea or dinner in a restaurant.

Wolfox

https://www.wolfox.coffee/buyonline

Wetherspoons

https://wetherspoonmenuprices.co.uk/children/

https://globetotting.com/best-bookshops-in-london-for-kids/

Hamleys Paddington tea set in mini suitcase from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rainbow-Designs-Paddingtons-Toy-Tea/

https://www.hamleys.com/

https://www.foyles.co.uk/category/childrens

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Talking-Tables-Questions-Travelling-

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Wolfox Savoy Restaurant In the Strand, London

Prosecco with strawberry slice. Great start. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I loved the decor.

Outside of Wolfox with outdoor table. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Ground floor of Wolfox Restaurant with indoor tree. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

You have a choice of seating. in the busy downstairs café, watching the world go by, near an attractive artificial tree. 

Upstairs Dining

Or on the mezzanine balcony floor overhead for more relaxed dining.

Indoor mural at Wolfox restaurant. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The meal included three food items I absolutely loved which made up for those which were so-so. And two great drinks.

Delightful Drinks

Starting with the drinks. The tap water was served in an elegant modern silver coloured jug. The glassware was a delight. The water glasses were wide at the base, unusual, special. 

My Prosecco was good. Best of all it was served with a slice of strawberry on the room which made the drink look special and the drinker feel special. I must have had Prosecco a dozen times at a dozen restaurants. Every time I was disappointed that no effort was made to decorate the glass, although everybody ordering cocktails got something special. Excellent. Full marks. Applause. We all, four of us, were impressed.

Fabulous Food

We went without starters and instead made do with nibbles. We were not keen on the large tough green olives with stones. However - 

1 Nibbles - We loved the fried strings of vegetables.

2 Beef cheek with mashed potato was soft, tasty, wonderful.

 (Other main courses were: a steak, fine for the price. Stuffed Chicken, spirals wrapped in bacon, with a good green salad with a few small red tomatoes, okay. Polenta fingers, so so. Chips, ok. 

3 The cheesecake was excellent, creamy.

4 The sorbet, raspberry, also met with everybody's approval.

After our meal we went downstairs to look around.

The Café Downstairs

The set tea looked gorgeous. So did the pastries sold individually.

Unisex Toilets

The unisex toilets on the ground floor are disconcerting. Ladies and gents through the same door. Inside washbasins, and cubicles and one wider cubicle with a basin for wheelchairs and other disabilities. 

Down the curved staircase at the back of the ground floor is the basement's open plan relaxing private dining area with an oval table, and another area of small tables also used for general restaurant eating in winter.

Who are the owners of Wolfox Savoy?

I was told that a couple of people started a coffee business in Brighton. But only one person is on the information under people which popped up from a page on the website of Companies House. Do I care. Not really. They are not there. If you want the boss to make compliments or complaints, look for the agreeable lady who is managing the restaurant.

Wolfox Coffee

Regarding the coffee, online you can buy capsules and other coffees on line from their website. I could not see how many coffee capsules are in the box.

The London restaurant is your sole opportunity currently, 2026, to find food. Wolfox has an amusing fox face upright hybrid cartoon character on their website. 

The relaxing almost Italic murals are the legacy from them having taken over a restaurant which was previously Japanese.

The word Savoy in the name reflects their surroundings. They are near the Savoy hotel, but management of the two companies is entirely separate. not related at all.

One might think it is wrong to call the place Savoy. But the word savoy means fir tree.

Where Is Wolfox Savoy Restaurant?

Beside the Savoy Hotel, not related, and Simpson's in the Strand,  in good company.

Getting To Wolf Fox Restaurant

From Mill Hill Broadway (not Mill Hill East) we took the overground train, much more comfortable than the underground, from Mill Hill Broadway (flight of 7 steps and 9 steps both sides of the car bus garage parking which you have to cross, towards Blackfriars, but got off at City Thameslink for reduced walking. Then the 126 bus outside the station. After you get off the bus, keep walking in the same direction, passing the Savoy hotel, and Simpson's. A uniformed lady politely explained that the restaurant was nearby beyond. Just after the Paddington Bear musical entrance, so a convenient place to eat before or afterwards.