7 Tips for Enjoying Michelin Stars with Kids
Have you been putting off that romantic trip to Europe until your kids are old enough to drive you to the airport themselves?!! I was inspired to put together 7 Tips for Enjoying Michelin Stars with Kids after a recent trip where my husband and I took our 2-year-old son Navian with us to Paris and Monaco for a culinary exploratory tour–and everyone thought we were nuts! This list of tips is good for any city in the world, and I can’t wait to see where you go!
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Fine dining with children might seem like an oxymoron, but if you train them young there’s no telling how high they will fly to those Michelin stars in the sky!
Tip 7: Surprises
New toys at every stop sure make it easier to get them to go. Stock up on some of their favorites from eBay and the 99 cent store and pretend the hotel or restaurant planted them there.
Our first tasting menu at Verjus in Paris came complete with wine pairings thanks to a Gold Thomas the Tank Engine I snagged on eBay for $7. Next, a vibrant albeit cozy restaurant scene made it possible for us to sit in a corner table and enjoy our 7-course meal. The restaurant is run by American couple Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian who offer a seasonally rotating menu and some of the best “lamb tacos” I’ve ever had: Romaine, Lamb, Parsley, Garlic, Snails.
But I’m getting ahead of myself! The meal all began with a selection of smaller bites that were so beautiful I hardly wanted to disturb them. Below are some of my favorites: Sweet Peas with Mint; Artichoke with Egg Yolk and Saffron; and Green Asparagus with Brown Butter and Almonds.
Tip 6: Vibrant Spaces or Empty Places
A noisy restaurant makes for a tremendous kid-accompanied meal! But so do the ones with views for days or off-hour dining!
Enjoy Dinner at 5 PM
Hey, your hours are out of whack anyway! Just go with it and snag that first reservation, as we did at Septime, which currently has 1 Michelin star and is ranked #24 on the 50 World’s Best Restaurants List. Chef and owner Bertrand Grebaut trained with Alain Passard. He has created a neighborhood restaurant that feels of Silverlake but tastes of Paris.
We were seated by the window, once again in a corner. Proof once again that the French do not shy away from showing off that kids eat out, too! A 5-6 course meal runs €80 with a €55 wine pairing; and a house cheese plate for €14. I wish I could say I loved this meal, but I will just let the photos do the talking.
Views for Miles
Keep those eyes busy with an endless view of the French Rivera, like with lunch at Le Grill in Monaco from the 8th floor of Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. They offer a 3-course lunch menu, which also includes two glasses of wine and mineral water for €85. It currently holds a Michelin Plate status.
Make it a meal to remember by pairing it with a hotel stay. Book through Expedia here.
The menu changes seasonally but here is a glimpse of what you might enjoy in Spring.
Tip 5: Shopping
Paris is full of trendy little toy shops in long arcades. But if your little American is craving a taste of the familiar, then take him to the flagship Galeries Lafayette location: Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, near the Opera Garnier. The Art Nouveau staircase and Jacques Gruber glasswork keep you grounded in culture while your child explores a floor of toys.
Once you have a happy child once again it’s off to the next meal!
Tip 4: Taste the Sweet Life
Vacation is a time for everyone to stray away from their usual routine. So instead of filling your child up with American pouch-form convenience foods, choose chocolat chaud and macarons!
While there is an abundance of pâtisseries to choose from, we stuck with the heavy hitters: Cafe Angelina; Le Deux Magots,; and macarons from Pierre Hermé.
Tip 3: Carousels and Ferris Wheels
As much fun for kids as they are for adults is the abundance of carousels and Ferris wheels that accompany your walks through the streets of Europe. Make a game of it and stop by one before AND after your anticipated meal.
Tip 2: Toddler Carriers
Minus what it might be doing for my back, baby-wearing has been my mode of choice forever. I was devastated when he outgrew our ergo-baby, but did you know they now make carriers to fit kids up to 60 lbs!!
This is a game-changer for those cobblestone stroller-averse streets and has become my way to tour. Best of all you might get a lunch-time siesta if your child falls asleep driving from Paris to le Bois de Boulogne. This made it possible to enjoy the 3 Michelin-starred Le Pré Catelan completely undisturbed!
Blame it on the 3 Michelin Stars, but this was the only place to ask us at the door if our son would be quiet. One look at the dining room, and you know why. Luckily the gods of dining-out smiled upon us that day, and for almost 3 hours he was! Talk about Michelin dining with kids!
The 4-course luncheon menu was our most significant expense of the trip at €175 per person, but a meal for two instead of three is priceless.
Chef Frédéric Anton does not change the menu seasonally. But it’s also under his reign that the restaurant received that third Michelin star. So enjoy the familiarity of perfection and expect what you see here is most likely what you will experience.
Begin with a Duck Fois Gras or a Crab Combination Soup & Salad with “Thai Flavors.”
The main course is a choice between Veal Sweetbreads or Cod.
The cheese course is my personal favorite. Have as much as you want!
Dessert: This is where you might see the menu change a bit based on the season. Below, a Paris-Brest with figs, and “praline and pecan” cream or Creme Caramel as well as a cart of additional desserts.
Tip 1: IPAD
If you can avert the gaze of all other diners, and yes there will be several, IPADs work wonders to keep kids occupied. I can’t promise you won’t have some weaning to do after the trip (we went cold turkey), but if you’ve gone through my entire list of tips and find yourself here, then I grant you permission to apply a little technological over-stimulation.
It made it possible to enjoy the One Michelin Star of Le Vistamar in Monaco
The Two Michelin Stars of the late Joël Robuchon in Monte-Carlo.
And our last meal in Paris, the One Michelin starred Le Chateaubriand. One of the tastiest meals and most affordable tasting menus at €75 per person FOR DINNER! Chef Iñaki Aizpitarte’s menu changes daily, but some of the constants will remain. Take a dip in the nice little pink pools of Ceviche. Savor Cheese Puffs reminiscent of a Brazilian Pão de Queijo. Lastly, enjoy dessert that explodes in your mouth.
You will have a little Parisian in no time!!
For more ideas on what to do in Paris when you enjoy Michelin stars with Kids? Check out Paris City Vision to help plan out that perfect trip! And if you enjoyed this post please consider repinning it.
We’ve accidentally brought the kids to Michelin starred places before. Luckily all the places have had noodles to appease their bland taste preferences.
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