Heads Up, Parents: These Are The Best Cafes In Brisbane If You Have Kids
Only parents of young children truly understand how comforting a cup of coffee can be. Better: a cup of coffee and a mature conversation.
But little shiny things don't make it easy.
Cheryl Randall, founder of the website and social media group Moms Who Branch, had her lightbulb moment after giving birth to her son a few years ago.
“I used to go for coffee with my mom's team every week,” said a Morningside parent. "However, we had to check online every time if there were changing rooms and enough space for wheelchairs.
"Another incident was when I went to a bar with a pram and realized there were stairs, so I decided to start an Instagram page and then a Facebook group."
Brisbane cafes are increasingly embracing the concept of being child-friendly spaces, especially on weekdays.
For some times it's as simple as putting an old toy box in the corner. For others, it's a limited playing field. The menu is also important: small snacks and drinks for children, as well as the invention of Australian bartender, Babysino.
"We've been reviewing Babycinos for a while now," says Randall. "I remember one bar was charged $4 and I almost had a heart attack."
Child-friendly cafes are a saving grace for parents, he said. "It saved my mental health because I went out and felt a bit more normal."
Below is a list of Brisbane cafes that cater to mums and dads.
Garage Cafe, Cannon Hill
Located on the side street of Cannon Hill Shopping Centre, this cafe is, as the name suggests, a house and garage converted into an indoor/outdoor cafe.
In the warm season it is very pleasant to sit among the trees and bushes in the garden. The coffee (they have their own Carport Cafe roaster) is good; The hot dishes served have Mediterranean and Indian influences.
Hidden behind is the parents' big map: a play area with lots of old toys, children's books to read and a blackboard to write on. Sit here and check out your staple while enjoying a civilized lentil burger or spicy mince.
3 Pickwick Street, Cannon Hill.
Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Saturday from 06.30 - 14.30; Wednesday and Sunday from 06.30 to 14.00
Schedule changes? no
Babysino? $2 with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair? Yes.
Vibe Cafe, Greenslopes
The former Monkey Bar Cafe won't win any culinary awards, but it's certainly one of Brisbane's best kids' cafes.
It is a gazebo-like outdoor space, adjacent to a shaded public playground and fenced off from the street. Coffee and cake are only $8, and the menu includes affordable classics like burgers and hot dogs Get some ice cream for just $3 (with $4.50 sprinkles and Kit Kats).
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The best thing, at least from a child's perspective, is the dozen jars of popsicles on the counter. Choose from moss sticks, snakes, teeth, berries and cream, whatever you like.
98 Victoria Terrace, Greenslopes.
Monday to Friday from 07.30 - 17.30; Saturday-Sunday 7.30am - 4.30pm
Schedule changes? Yes.
Babysino? Yes, 50 cents with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair? Yes.
The Birds and the Bees, Everton Hills
This large outdoor cafe has an elevated position to catch the breeze, making it a great option in hot weather.
The astroturf-enclosed playground features a board and several toy trucks. Two boxes contain children's books and an exchange library for adults.
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The menu includes fish, chips and nachos, plus your favorite sandwiches, bagels and eggs, plus $12 coffee and muffin deals. Restrooms, along with baby changing facilities are located behind the parking lot. However, there is a lift to take your wheelchair.
5/1 Queens Road, Everton Hills.
Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Saturday 6am-1am; Sunday from 07:00 to 13:00
Schedule changes? Yes.
Babysino? $2.50 with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair? Yes.
Norso, Chandler
This large preschool cafe has a toy-filled playroom next to the outdoor cafe area, so you can occupy and entertain the kids while you eat breakfast with your best friends or look for potted plants.
Their nursery has a sandbox and several plastic tricycles for kids to ride around in The Shining style.
Norso also has a small petting zoo: goats, cows, ducklings, sheep, guinea fowl and say hello to Norso's mascot, Dusty, the border collie. Kids food comes with terrarium decorations so they can create their own terrarium.
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1666 Old Cleveland Street, Chandler.
Daily from 8:00 to 16:00 (bar closes at 14:00).
Schedule changes? Yes.
Babysino? 50 grams, with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair? Yes.
Coffee at break, Wynnum
This gorgeous store offers all the fun of building a LEGO set without buying it and keeping it at home as junk You pay by the hour - $20 per person - and can choose from collections including Classic, Technics, Friends, Minecraft, Harry Potter, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Jurassic World and more. They also have a Lego Seinfeld set for fans of the '90s sitcom.
They'll make you a flat white or espresso and have a small selection of baked goods, including pastries and quiches. Not recommended for babies or toddlers, but ages 4 and up can easily satisfy their growing appetites. Reservations are recommended.
A Terrace of Bay 44, Central Winnam.
Tuesday-Thursday 11am-8pm; Friday, Saturday and Monday from 11:00 to 17:00; Sunday 1-5pm
Schedule changes? no
Babysino? $2.50 with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? There is a lot of mud.
High chair? no
Little Black Pug Cafe, Gravatt Mt
This Logan Road cafe is popular with both gluten-intolerant (the menu is completely gluten-free) and tolerant dogs (the owners' pugs, Bowie and Mate, make occasional appearances in the outside dining area).
The menu has a lot of bad puns like "Pugtato Hash" and "Dog's Breakfast," but it's undeniably delicious and the real deal at Toby's Estate is the coffee. If you have children, head straight to the large, airy back room, which has plenty of space and a small library of children's books to browse.
6/1297 Logan Road, Gravattburg.
Monday to Saturday from 07:00 to 14:00; Sunday from 07.30 to 14.00
Schedule changes? no
Babysino? $1.50 with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair ? Yes.
Community Change, Chermside
The coffee from Brendel's Cubby House Roaster is top notch and among the best we've had up north.
It's also a greeting.
Alter Community is a company with a mission to "make people better neighbors" and their Chermside Café is a great place for parents as it has a true indoor playground, plenty of space for strollers and no stairs to get outside.
Food includes a small selection of toasts and croissants. They also have items like hats, soaps, mugs and greeting cards, with sales dollars going to a charity that rescues children from human trafficking.
240 Hamilton Road, Chermside.
Monday to Saturday from 07:00 to 12:30
Schedule changes? Yes.
Babysino? $1 small, $2 large, both with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair? Yes.
Jugger: Eat, Play, Drink, West End
Pronounced "huygar," which means "to play" in Spanish, Jugger was designed by a brother who works in hospitality and a sister who works in childcare. This is displayed by a large playground behind the glass that runs along the entire restaurant.
There are Spanish specialties for lunch and dinner such as paella, manchego asado and churros (unfortunately no breakfast), while a children's meal with juice or pepisino costs $15. Reservations are recommended.
71 Jane Street, West End.
Monday-Tuesday 11am-2.30pm; Wednesday - Friday 11:00 - 21:00; Saturday 10.30am - 9.00pm; Sunday 10.30 am - 7.30 pm
Schedule changes? Yes, quite a few .
Babysino? $2.50 with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes, in addition to the stroller holder .
High chair? Yes, there are 25 of them .
Lady Marmalade, Stone Corner
Queues outside on Saturdays tell you what you need to know: this is a reliable bar that knows how to look after customers
Chef Matthew West and his duck confit waffles are slowly becoming legendary, but perhaps what makes this woman so great for kids is her raspberry ricotta waffles, an award-winning waffle covered in pink Persian silk that sells out daily. We bet the kids will be and you can almost burn off the resulting sugar rush with a run (or scooter ride) through nearby Hanlon Park. Stones Corner Library is located directly opposite.
269 Logan Road, Stones Corner.
Monday to Sunday from 07:00 to 14:00
Schedule changes? no
Babysino? $1, with marshmallows.
Access with stroller? Yes.
High chair? Yes.
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