Eating out with toddlers

Spain is child friendly in as much as toddlers are welcome everywhere. But don't expect child menus or high chairs at every watering hole. Chairs and tables will be moved to accommodate your buggy/s although it's worth mentioning when you book that you have a buggy so that they reserve a good table for you. You can bring your own booster seat or clamp-on table seat and no-one will worry about scratching the furniture.

Some restaurants will have a loo large enough to change your child on the floor, very few will have proper baby changing facilities. They'll warm up your baby bottle and any food that you've brought with you but their menu is their menu. You can opt for a media-racion of main-courses and appetisers but other than that - it is what it is. Ideal foods for toddlers include pinchitos (small kebabs), tortillas(potato omelette), albondigas (meatballs). Most of the bars and cafes will serve simple food suitable for children. As with adults , one of the problems can be getting enough vegetables into the diet. If your toddler is happy with salads you're fine. But getting quantities of cooked green veg seems to be a problem everywhere.

We travel with one of the fussiest eaters on earth. You may have the second fussiest in your party. So this next bit of advice may be familiar:

- Take a stand-by sandwich/fruit/snack with you, the local fare may not pass muster as far as your child is concerned.

What follows is our list of favourites - great food, smoke-free environment, relatively easy access and most accommodating.

First, in town.

La Posada - Avenida de Los Remedios. A large dining room attached to a large bar. The dining room is no smoking - the bar isn't. The food is typical high-end Spanish, local produce.

El Jardin Del Califa. Great Morroccan influenced food in this garden restaurant attached to the Hotel Califa which is something of a landmark in the centre of the old town, set at one corner of Plaza de Espana. A word of warning, if you are with buggy you need to take a more circuitous route to the garden restaurant. Ask at reception when booking (always worth booking in advance for this one). And if your Spanish isn't up to much there's the benefit that English is spoken here. Starters are the size of main courses so share one if you still want space for pudding (this is often the case in Spanish restaurants).

Pizzeria La Posta in Calle Juan Bueno. A great stand-by if you're arriving late. Open until midnight. That sounds a bit mealy-mouthed - it's a great pizza place at any time. It's small but seldom full so you can usually count on getting a table with enough room to accommodate all your trappings.

La Brassa, outside in fine weather. As the name suggests, predominantly grilled food.

Meson Pepe Julian - Calle Juan Relinque - opposite the market square. A couple of steps to negotiate to get into the place which at first appears to be mostly a little bar. But in the back is a dining area that serves good local food.

Down at the beach:

Playa Los Bateles at Conil is probably the best beach to head for. It's a Blue Flag beach, plenty of restaurants on the promenade (some with Kids play areas) and Chiringuitos on the beach itself. There are also permanent sunshades to hire along with sun beds. A boon when you are already laden down with buckets and spades and all the other child related paraphernalia.

Further along at Playa Fontanilla (west of Conil) is the eponymous La Fontanilla, one of our favourite fish restaurants. No more or less child-friendly than anywhere else, but we try to time our visit with sleep time - the kids laid out flat in their buggies while we tuck in to some of the best local fish and seafood you'll find anywhere. Worth booking on a Sunday as this is where all the locals head for en-famille.

Further afield there's plenty to look forward to. Tarifa, Jerez and Cadiz are all within striking distance for day trips. El Faro, in Cadiz, is a regular destination for us each time we come out. Arguably this is the best fish restaurant in the area. Again, we try to time our visits with the kids afternoon kip. It's an up market restaurant that goes out of its way to make families feel at home. They are one of the few places that do have high chairs and the loos have proper baby changing facilities. This is also the best place for desserts in Spain we've come across (not a great accolade, but they're especially good here).