A restaurant does not have to have a clown at the front door and plastic food on paper plates to be “kid friendly.” Alligator Soul, in the heart of downtown Savannah, ranks in the top tier of fine dining experiences – yet it welcomes little ladies and gentlemen in training to enjoy a wonderful dining experience with their parents.

Consider this example: When celebrity couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Gardner wanted to dine in Savannah, they called beforehand to see if the restaurant was child-friendly. Mr. Affleck seemed surprised that owner Maureen Craig was the one welcoming his little family. Craig, in turn, was surprised that celebrities made their own dinner reservations. And the surprises didn’t stop there: “The next surprise was for the couple seated next to the Affleck family. Their 25th wedding anniversary was a once-in-lifetime occasion on two fronts!” said Craig.

Alligator Soul, an elegant but cozy fine dining experience in the basement level of an historic grain warehouse on Barnard Street at Telfair Square, is proud to welcome families. After all, it is in the heart of Savannah’s burgeoning cultural district. Couples come here to enjoy some of the most beautiful attractions imaginable, and to introduce their children to the finer things in life. For example, just across the square is the Telfair’s Jepson Center for the Arts, where the Art-Zeum caters to the young art connoisseur. A family visit to Savannah’s Historic District also might include visits to several house museums, enjoying sculpture and gardens in the squares, a brush with national celebrity and local history at Leopold’s Ice Cream, a visit to E. Shaver’s Booksellers, and browsing through fine art galleries and antique shops. How better to top off a day of elegant entertainment than by having the children join their parents in a superb meal?

Is your child ready for the fine dining experience? Chances are he or she is, if you have a tradition of eating meals as a family. In that case, your children have already learned the pleasures of a respectfully shared dinner. In the welcoming and relaxed ambiance of Alligator Soul, they can sample the good life their upbringing is training them for.

And children respond well to good food when they are made welcome. One rising young gourmet even plans to celebrate his 10th birthday at Alligator Soul this spring, enjoying the rare experience of the Chef’s Table, where up to four diners watch (and eat!) the culinary arts in action from the best vantage point – a table literally in the kitchen. (This special treat, typically the choice of more mature diners, is available by reservation only.)