A VEGETARIAN restaurant is offering relief to Southampton families this Christmas.

Baboo Ji in Portswood Road is offering a complimentary meal to children over the festive holiday – when free school meals are not available.

Up to six youngsters per table can enjoy the free food, so long as a paying adult is present.

Project ambassador Harry Kimberley told the Echo: “To be honest its just been a horrible year for everyone hasn’t it? Two years really, so much uncertainty and we all agreed that the one thing that should never be uncertain is the ability to feed children but unfortunately in the world we live in it can happen.

“Our business has always been built on trying to do good alongside our restaurants and we are always trying to find other ways of doing positive things within our community to benefit people and with the holidays around the corner its something that we felt really strongly about.”

The Portswood Road eatery will be offering Dingri Mutter, Paneer Makhani or Subz Meloni curry, Pindi Chana or Beet Thoran, Dal Makhani or Tadka, Gunpowder Fries or Naan, all served with rice on the side.

Mr Kimberley added: “We love to look after our locals at Baboo Ji, and what better time than Christmas to spread a little joy and cheer? Everyone wants a December filled with seasonal splendor, but we know how tricky this can be; juggling the kids, the finances and the shopping, so we’d like to step in to make things a little easier this year.

“We’ve got a range of our most delicious dishes to suit every appetite. Up to six kids (12-years-old and under) per table can enjoy some grub on us, as long as a paying adult is present.

“We’ll make sure the little tums are fed and happy whilst you take care of the rest. We hope our little gesture of goodwill will help keep your Christmas season stress free and filled with festive fun.”

Baboo Ji is also looking to partner with a local food bank. As a vegetarian kitchen, it receives fresh vegetables daily and “would love to be able to share this regularly”.