Eat, Play, Love (Battersea) – 08/03/13

So, today we went out to eat, play and love at Eat, Play, Love Battersea. As you may have gathered, Reuben isn’t too good at doing what he’s told, so he didn’t want to eat, then play, then love. As soon as we got there and he spotted the play area, he kicked off his shoes and went to play. He was planning to eat later, and love came a very distant third. I was more keen on the eating and not bothered about the playing. We were meeting our friend Lauren there and I wasn’t entirely sure just how much love she’d be up for, so I held back a little.

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, Eat Play Love is a cafe in Battersea which has a play area and caters to children. When I say it caters to children, I mean it is entirely dominated by children, their mothers and/or their au pairs. There was a sign at the entrance to the effect that pushchairs and babies were strictly optional but most people there had one or the other. When I got there, there was someone in the corner having a business meeting, but once the Parent-Pilates kicked out, they soon scarpered.

So, it got Roo’s approval. There was a play shop, with a play petrol pump, giant lego bricks and a train track. Plus a whole heap of bumbos, a rocking horse and an awesome rocking-vintage-car. The play area was split into two, which I guess was for babies and older kids though the older kids were rampaging over both. I’m speaking as the owner of one of the more rampage-y ones, obviously.

We sat down for some lemon drizzle cake and juice (which was disappointingly warm – I’m weird about warm juice). Roo had his own piece and Eva and I shared. Not entirely sure how that worked out. Roo sat still long enough to eat some cake before running off to play again and he later returned with a book about puppies. Because we were sitting a way away from the play area, I couldn’t leave Eva in there while I sat down, but I was happy enough to dump Roo there. I figured that with interfering Battersea parents around, someone would tell me soon enough if he was being horrendous.

I was just explaining the theory to Lauren when, right on cue, Roo started to wail. Someone else wanted to play with the petrol pump apparently. Or something. It was almost time to go, but not before checking out these amazing toilets:

And have a look at this, for living the family-toilet dream:

No, I didn’t get an action shot.

So, a nice cafe which I imagine gets even busier at lunchtime. The decor is kooky – Lauren noticed a comedy half-eaten shortbread decoration –  and they sell a lot of kid-size snacks, including teeny-weeny cupcakes (way too teeny to fool Reuben with). I just wish the juice was a little colder. Also, Roo’s beloved nursery singing teacher “Ve-ron-eek!” does singing sessions there.

VERDICT: A great place to hang out with kids. Not sure if you’d go there without kids.

More details here (official website)