London spots where toddlers can watch diggers, trains and planes

Drink: Georgian riverside pub, big windows, sensible food, quieter than the town centre.

Note: Working river: tugs, aggregate barges and the odd tall ship heading for the O2.

Drink: Bakery counter — pastries to eat while the diggers dig.

Drink: Independent specialty coffee bar inside the London City Airport terminal.

Note: Landside, so you can watch the planes without a boarding pass.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: A pub literally on the District line platform, with outside tables trackside.

Note: District line trains and North London Line freight running through, feet away.

Drink: Bakery counter — pastries to eat while the diggers dig.

Drink: Big riverside pub with tall windows straight onto the Thames.

Note: Clippers, tugs and barges pass the window, with the Isle of Dogs across the water.

Drink: Upstairs station pub in the old parcel office, with windows straight onto the platforms.

Note: LNER Azumas and the Hull and Lumo trains coming and going, right beneath the window seats.

Drink: Antipodean-run, endlessly consistent, and the best-run small café in the West End.

Note: A rolling programme of office rebuilds around Mortimer and Wells Street. Frequent crane lifts.

Drink: Prison-training roastery with a proper espresso programme. Flat whites are consistently excellent.

Note: Ongoing office and residential plots around Handyside Street. Tower cranes, concrete pours, and a near-constant stream of tipper lorries.

Drink: Specialty roaster with genuinely dialled-in espresso and a calm, glassy room.

Note: Rolling towers along the river. Crawler cranes, piling rigs, and the odd concrete pump on a good day.

Drink: Creaky old riverside pub with a jetty terrace out the back.

Note: River traffic passing close in, with Wapping directly opposite.

Drink: A narrow 500-year-old riverside pub with a deck straight over the Thames.

Note: Clippers, tugs and barges going by on the tide, with Canary Wharf behind them.

Drink: Independent dockside café with plenty of outdoor tables.

Note: Best from the terrace tables facing the water.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Canalside craft beer yard with a big open terrace.

Note: Terrace tables look straight onto the water.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Lakeside pavilion cafe right on the boating lake, with a big terrace.

Note: Permanent - the lake is not going anywhere.

Drink: Cafe in the old Engine House overlooking the reservoirs.

Note: Permanent reserve with buggy-friendly paths and viewing decks.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Small independent coffee bar at the airport DLR station.

Note: Planes land and take off along the dockside runway all day, close enough to watch the wheels come down.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Café on Barnes Green, a few steps from the pond.

Note: Ducks, geese and moorhens on the village pond; the WWT London Wetland Centre is a longer walk away.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Small independent café with pavement tables.

Note: Two minutes east to the railway bridge.

Drink: Independent café on London Road.

Note: One of the busiest bus interchanges in south London, with double-deckers on more than a dozen routes.

Drink: Canal-side pub at Browning's Pool.

Note: Narrowboats, the Regent's Canal waterbus and ducks come and go on the water right outside.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café by Kew Bridge with a family friendly room.

Note: Very short walk to the bridge for a look down the line.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Tiny independent specialty coffee bar with outdoor seating.

Note: Two minutes to the towpath.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent specialty coffee in the Crossrail Place roof garden.

Note: Walk out to the dockside for the clearest view of the viaduct.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent specialty roaster in the Royal Arsenal.

Note: Short stroll down to the Thames Path and the pier.

Drink: Converted coal store cafe on the edge of Woodberry Wetlands.

Note: Permanent reserve with accessible paths.

Drink: Independent coffee house on St John's Road, a couple of minutes from the station.

Note: Britain's busiest railway junction. The station footbridge looks down over seventeen platforms and near-constant train movements.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Proper pub: soft drinks, chips and a decent view of the site.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent café — coffee, cake and a window on the works.

Drink: Independent specialty coffee shop on St John's Hill.

Note: Walk up to the bridge for the full view over the tracks.

Drink: Big, buggy friendly pub in the old Royal Arsenal buildings.

Note: Courtyard seating, then a two minute walk to the river wall.

Drink: Neighbourhood coffee shop on Arthur Road.

Note: District line and mainline trains run below the bridge, with the Wimbledon depot sidings just along the track.

Drink: A converted Victorian gents' lavatory, which toddlers find hilarious. Good espresso too.

Note: Continuing over-station and office development. Hoardings, hoists and a decent amount of banging.

Drink: Family gastropub with a garden, on the doorstep of the Heathrow approach.

Note: Grab lunch then walk to the green space at Myrtle Avenue.

Drink: Independent coffee shop tucked behind Victoria Street.

Note: Pelicans, geese, ducks and swans on the lake, with the bridge for a proper look.

Drink: The original London specialty roaster. Queue moves fast; the coffee is worth it.

Note: Guy's campus works plus the Vinegar Yard tower. Tall cranes clearly visible from the street.

Drink: Social-enterprise roastery training people out of homelessness. The coffee stands on its own.

Note: The long-planned Peckham town centre rebuild. Demolition and enabling works with heavy plant.

Drink: Hackney's original specialty roaster. Small inside, but the pavement is the point.

Note: Ongoing canalside blocks between Broadway Market and Haggerston. Cranes and barge deliveries.

Drink: Widely rated among the best espresso bars in the City. Standing room mostly.

Note: Several towers under construction around Leadenhall and Undershaft. Cranes everywhere on the skyline.

Drink: On-site roastery in the basement. One of the most serious coffee operations in London.

Note: A long-running cluster of office builds and the Goodsyard site. Cranes visible in most directions.

Drink: Railway arch café in the market yard, small but very well run.

Note: Enabling works and phased riverside construction. Piling rigs and site traffic.

Drink: A London specialty institution. Brew bar, competition-grade baristas, no fuss.

Note: The Smithfield General Market conversion. Scaffolding, hoardings and steady heavy plant movement.