Mr & Mrs Smith

Quick tip, if you are tsyaing in any of the back rooms and are dining in a private room, baby monitors WORK !!

I can't tell you how much we enjoyed Kew Gardens, there is really so much to see and do there and your ticket lasts all day, so you could have nice lunch elsewhere and return in the afternoon, maybe the treetop walk would be a little less 'challenging' after a stiff drink!? We also discovered Riva at 169 Church Road (+44 (0)20 8748 0434)  in Barnes from a friend's recommendation, which is a completely unassuming Italian, but there's not a carbonara in sight, and there's five or six specials beyond the menu. The food is authentic without being the Italian pastiche that spoils so many other Italian restaurant, and it's cooked with a deftness of touch that belies the restaurant's simple exterior. Service is attentive and extremely knowledgable – don't be fooled by the staff's casual attire. This one is totally under the radar; they have no website and mixed reviews but delve further and you'll find that it's where AA Gill eats when he's not reviewing and where many of Britain's great, good and not so good are regulars. Only 10 minutes drive away, it's well worth a visit. We really enjoyed being within easy travelling reach from central London, but we didn't need to venture that far and it was far less stressful! As my partner said, 'It's London, without the c**p!'

The staff could not have been more helpful. Our 2 year old was treated like a princess and nothing was too much for anyone - thank you.