Everyone has a go-to cafe for brunch and takeaway hotspot for coffee but if you’re looking to venture outside of routine we’ve taken a deep dive into our catalogue of Melbourne cafes to find the best kid-friendly spots around the city. No two cafes listed are alike and have their own personalities but what they do have in common is a dedicated kids' menu.
Here are the 8 best kid-friendly cafes in Melbourne:
Heart of Hall
NEWPORT
When you combine a cooking school with a cafe you get Heart of Hall. This eating spot is the heart of Newport’s Hall Street and is located directly opposite Newport station so it’s an easy commute. The menu offers up substantial and nutritious brunch options like spicey baked eggs and green vegetable shakshuka. The kids won’t be left behind with avo toast, waffles and vanilla milkshakes.
The Farm Cafe
ABBOTSFORD
Follow up your family excursion to the Collingwood Children’s Farm with a long lunch at The Farm Cafe. The Cafe sits only a hundred-metre walk along the Capital City Trail at the end of Helier Street. Here you can dig into a hearty meal with the kids with the best farm views Melbourne has to offer. While they have all the cafe classics The Farm Cafe’s housemade sausage rolls are beloved by both the grown-ups and the kids
The Stables of Como
SOUTH YARRA
The Stables of Como feels like a countryside getaway despite being so close to the city’s chaos. Their seasonal menu is designed to showcase the organic ingredients sourced from the kitchen garden located just footsteps from the chef’s bench. The dishes aim to bring nostalgia for childhoods and home comforts. The Stables of Como are worth a trip for their gourmet sandwiches alone and of course, they are served with a side of fries.
Serotonin Eatery
RICHMOND
Richmond’s Serotonin Eatery regards itself as a serotonin dealer thanks to its nutrition-packed menu. If you’re looking for a kid-friendly cafe that prioritises health this is the cafe for your family. The Serotonin Eatery has been on their mission to serve Melburnians a holistic plant-based brunch for over a decade. Here you can introduce your kids to plant-based foods like a kids’ Acai bowl and kids' serving of their infamous positive pancakes.
Brunswick Foodstore
BRUNSWICK
The northside has no shortage of cafes but the Brunswick Foodstore has something special. The heritage-listed building brings a feeling of warmth and charm making it an inviting brunch location for the whole family. The little ones can take their pick from cheese toastie, waffles, chicken schnitz and eggs on toast.
Lenny
ALBERT PARK
Lenny brings a resort and beach feel to the bustling suburb of Albert Park. This cafe's dishes lean heavier on the lunch side of things with offerings for the adults including a Philly cheesesteak sub, sardines on toast and a tempura chicken burger. But the kids menu at Lenny’s is armed with a selection of breakfast faves like granola, pancakes and eggs in the perfect little person portion.
Rudimentary
FOOTSCRAY
Footscray is home to some of the best feeds in Melbourne and Rudimentary cafe is no exception. Rudimentary is a community-driven cafe that is so much more than the sum of its parts; an empty lot, shipping containers, recycled materials and fresh produce. The kitchen is serving up wholesome dishes like mushroom ragu, duck rillettes and bubble and squeak.
Schoolhouse
BRIGHTON
The Brighton Schoolhouse cafe is just that, a converted schoolhouse from 1843. You can count on this cafe to provide you and the kids with an all-day breakfast. Think of breaky choices like hot-stuff cakes, spicy morning scramble, avo great brunch and french toast mania. The breakfast menu extends to the kids' menu with feeds like jaffles, pancakes and smoothies.
Check out the best kid-friendly restaurants over here.
Image credit: Urban List