Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi’s Kids Only Pizza Factory is a hit

Calla Johnson drops tri-colored bell peppers on her bespoke pizza . Courtesy Stacie Overton Johnson

Got kids? If so, then the Saturday lunch promotion at The Lemon Tree should be on your to-do list.

My husband and I took our two young daughters to The Lemon Tree at the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi for their Kids Only Pizza Factory promotion this weekend and it was a resounding hit.

As soon as we walked in, our daughters were hustled over to the pizza making station where friendly assistants adorned them with aprons and paper chef’s hats. The girls had access to a surprising variety of pizza toppings including chicken, turkey, mozzarella cheese, bell peppers, courgette strips, mushrooms, corn and tomatoes. Our two-year-old loaded her pizza with every topping available. Our nearly six-year-old was more deliberate about what she chose and designed her pizza as a smiley face. Tomato eyes. A nose made of corn. Courgette strips for hair.

My husband and I retreated to a table nearby as our girls finished their pizzas. Once the assistants took the pizzas to the kitchen for baking, the girls were escorted to a dedicated play area in the same room for some kid-friendly fun. There was supervised craft-making, colouring, toys, balloon animals and face-painting. A perfect afternoon for little ones.

Meanwhile, my husband and I enjoyed a leisurely lunch with some surprisingly tasty Mediterranean food from the à la carte menu. We loved the thick, creamy mushroom soup (Dh34) and my skin-on sea bass baked in aluminium foil with mushrooms, tomatoes and courgettes was done perfectly (this wasn’t on the menu, but if you ask for it, I bet the manager will make it happen). We split some tiramisu to end the meal. It was so good, we ordered another one.

Both girls loved their pizzas, which were made all the more tasty, I’m sure, because they created the meals themselves. The restaurant is small (easy to keep track of wandering kids), well-staffed and as kid-friendly as they come. It’s a refreshing alternative to Friday brunches.

The Kids Only Pizza Factory promotion for kids up to age 12 runs every Saturday from noon to 3pm at The Lemon Tree, Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi. Cost per child is Dh20. For reservations, call 02 657 4858 or email [e-mail].