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Beauty and the Beast 30th Anniversary at The Grounds of Alexandria

November 6, 2021 / Alexandria, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Beauty and the Beast at The Grounds of Alexandria

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at The Grounds of Alexandria.

Book a table in The Grounds of Alexandria Cafe or The Potting Shed to explore their latest creation before the last petal falls on Sunday, 30 January 2022.

The installation is stunning, with the laneway filled with roses and tiny details of the much-loved film.

As always I suggest visiting out of peak times when the crowds are less and having a lot of patience if you’re after good photos.

Belle of the Ball
Available in the cafe and The Potting Shed

This spectacular coconut sponge mini cake, layered with passion fruit curd, pineapple and mango compote is covered in delicious vanilla buttercream.

The Enchanted Rose
Available in the cafe and The Potting Shed

A combination of passion fruit, coconut water and lemon.

The Grounds of Alexandria
7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria NSW
thegrounds.com.au

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The Grounds of Alexandria

May 26, 2021 / Alexandria, Dog-Friendly Sydney, Pets, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Grounds of Alexandria

The iconic Grounds of Alexandria is an iconic cafe, restaurant, bar, garden, bakery & patisserie, coffee roastery, animal farm, florist and more.

The Grounds opened in April 2012 on the site of a former pie factory in the industrial area of Alexandria. The concept for the Grounds, by the entrepreneurial duo Ramzey Choker and Jack Hanna, was to create a thriving urban sanctuary to bring people together.

Since its opening The Grounds of Alexandria has grown and changed to include two dine-in venues: The Cafe, The Potting Shed, an outdoor takeaway dining area, multiple event spaces, a florist, kids play area and animal petting area.

The Grounds is extremely popular and is most busy Friday through to Sunday. There is parking on site, however it can be hard to find a spot on these popular days.

I highly recommend booking a table in advance to guarantee a spot, or grabbing takeaway and eating it outdoors.

The Grounds of Alexandria hosts fantastic seasonal events such as Easter brunch and Mother’s Day high teas and themed installations – the current one at writing being The Secret Garden, which you can learn more about here.

The Grounds is stroller and wheelchair-friendly, kid-friendly and even dog-friendly. Dogs can dine in The Cafe but must have an outdoor table and must not sit on the chairs.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A/2 Huntley St,
Alexandria NSW 2015
Phone: 02 9699 2225
Get Directions

Read about our previous trips to The Grounds.

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Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

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The Secret Garden Installation at The Grounds of Alexandria

May 26, 2021 / Alexandria, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Secret Garden Installation at The Grounds of Alexandria

Wander through a sea of vibrant, colourful flowers at the Secret Garden installation at The Grounds of Alexandria.

Visit The Grounds of Alexandria any time until August 15 to enjoy this stunning installation, comprised of thousands of stunning flowers inspired by the classic Frances Hodgson Burnett book, The Secret Garden.

Enter through the wrought iron gates and explore an elegant world where fantasy comes to life.

The team at the Grounds have created this experience for their restaurant guests to enjoy, so if you stop by for some photos, stay for a meal at The Cafe or The Potting Shed. Booking a table is highly recommended!

Try the special Secret Garden menu items:

The Secret Garden Cake

Secret Garden at the Grounds of Alexandria — Courtesy of The Grounds of Alexandria

A mini almond sponge cake, layered with apple custard and caramelised apple, topped with honey buttercream and garnished with pressed, dried flowers.

The Bees Knees

A refreshingly delicious mocktail. Cocktail version available on request.

The Secret Garden is open daily until August 15.

Read more about dining at The Grounds of Alexandria.

NOTE FROM THE GROUNDS TEAM:

The Secret Garden experience has been created for our restaurant guests to enjoy. Please be aware that guests who don’t intend to dine in The Cafe, The Potting Shed or order takeaway from The Grounds may not be permitted entry during our busiest times. Additionally, there will be no access to The Grounds for professional photoshoots (outside of events), without prior written approval.

After 5pm, access to our beautiful laneways will be reserved for patrons dining in The Potting Shed or event guests. Alternatively before 10pm, you can purchase an after-hours pass from our friendly staff at the Bourke Road gate for $5 per person (kids under 10 years are free).

Please note that The Grounds of Alexandria will be closed after 10pm.

The Grounds of Alexandria
7a/2 Huntley St, Alexandria
thegrounds.com.au/secret-garden

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The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

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Grandma’s Little Bakery: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Alexandria

March 6, 2016 / Alexandria, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Grandma’s Little Bakery is a kid-friendly cafe in Alexandria, serving up home-style cooking and baking in a cosy, friendly environment. Their concept is “bringing together flavours & loved recipes from real Grandmas & Grandpas from all over the world”, which I found very sweet.

As a result, their menu features dishes like their famous Shakshuka (2 eggs served on a hot pan, olive oil with added ingredients like feta or spinach, served w/ Bread), soups, salads, sandwiches, and an all-day breakfast menu.

This little cafe is a favourite with families because of its little play area inside. While it is really best suitable for toddlers, older kids were having a blast in there too.

We ordered the Unique Ricotta Pancakes (served with yogurt, strawberry & dressing with honey blossom sauce with a touch of nuts & seeds, $12.50), an iced chocolate, $5.50, and a kids’ fresh juice, $4.90.

The food wasn’t the fastest, but we were there on a busy day. We also found the staff to be a bit harried, but again, probably because it was a busy day.

The store part of the cafe features rows upon rows of jams, cookies and baked goods if you feel like taking something home for later.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Grandma’s Little Bakery
42 O’Riordan Street
Alexandria, NSW 2015
Phone: (02) 9690 0069
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sun 7am-4pm
Get Directions

Bitton: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Alexandria

October 18, 2014 / Alexandria, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney Food / 0 comment

For a French-Australian inspired brunch, locals in Alexandria head to Bitton – particularly if they have kids. Parisian born owner and chef, David Bitton, serves up a delicious all-day brekkie menu including authentic French Crepes and One-Pan Bacon and Eggs. For a grab-and-go snack, you can try one of their daily-baked muffins, cakes and pastries.

Bitton Cafe is especially popular with parents with a great kids’ menu and a play area in the back terrace section, close to where parents can keep a safe eye and still enjoy a coffee or meal.

We arrived on a busy weekend at prime lunch-hour, but were still given a table quickly, and then moved to the section adjacent to the play room when I discovered it.

We ordered: French Crêpes with Bitton Strawberry and Vanilla Jam ($13), Eggs Cooked Any Way with Wood-fired Sourdough ($12.5), a side of Avocado ($4), Eggs Benedictine with Poached Eggs, Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Hollandaise Sauce ($18.5), a Babyccino ($1), and Pommes Frîtes ($8).

The food arrived pretty quickly for a busy day. It was all well-cooked, using fresh ingredients. My eggs were perfectly poached, the sourdough tangy with a crusty edge. My only criticism was of the avocado – it was quite under ripe. The French crepes were just like I remembered them to be from my last trip to France – thin, and served with a delicious helping of home-made conserve.

We really enjoyed our lunch at Bitton, and will definitely be back again.

Last bite: French-inspired food in a child-friendly environment. Great for small families or large groups.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Bitton Cafe and Grocer
36-37A Copeland St,
Alexandria
Phone: (02) 9519 5111
Prices: $$
Hours: Sun-Tues 7am-5pm Wed-Sat 7am-9pm
Get Directions

Sydney Park + Cycling Center: A Tricycle Built For One

August 25, 2014 / Alexandria, Eastern Suburbs, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

A new favourite weekend location for us is Sydney Park in St Peters. This 40-hectare park contains large expanses of grass perfect for kicking a ball around, landscaped gardens, rolling hills (great for sliding down on cardboard boxes – not kidding!), pathways for strolling or running and wetlands home to native birds. The park is also super dog-friendly, so on any given day you’ll see many many many dogs rolling, running and snuffling with abandon. Our two favourite areas of the park are the huge playground and The Sydney Park Cycling Centre.

The playground is particularly great as it as it has tactile equipment for kids of all ages. A large, fenced in sandpit is fun for babies as well as older kids, plus swings, slides, a strung bridge and rope climbing web make for a one-of-a-kind playground that will keep children entertained for hours.

On the edge of the playground sits Sydney Park Kiosk, a great spot to refuel. Undercover seating is available. Bathrooms including change tables are next to the kiosk and playground.

The Sydney Park Cycling Centre is a short walk from the playground. The cycling centre is a unique area designed to help families teach their kids about cycling and road safety. Kids can test out their wheels undercover on a large asphalt surface, and then try the “road” – a circuit set up with traffic lights, lanes and pedestrian crossings. Perfect for teaching kids the basics about road safety before taking them for the real deal.

The Cycling Centre runs a free Parent & Child Clinic every Saturday to teach pre-schoolers to ride balance bikes. The sessions are staffed by experienced professional instructors who give advice and provide equipment to help kids get pedalling safely on two wheels.

The Parent & Child Clinic is open every Saturday from 11am. Helmets and balance bikes are provided free for kids taking part. No need to book. Sydney Park Sydney Park Rd, St Peters NSW Get Directions

The Grounds of Alexandria: Meet Kevin Bacon Over Brekkie + Sydney Park

March 12, 2014 / Alexandria, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

For a long time, whispers about an inner city cafe with a pet pig had been reaching my ears (and clogging up my Facebook stream), even while I was living in New York. On my return to the homeland, the first place I was dying to check out for breakfast was The Grounds of Alexandra. This family-owned and operated cafe was built within an old pie factory from the 1900s, retaining the rustic charm while serving up speciality coffee and wholesome food. The Grounds opens up into a garden filled with heirloom vegetables and herbs, which are picked every morning and used throughout the day in the cafe. Be sure to plan your visit for the first weekend of the month, when The Grounds hosts a market filled with fresh produce and other goods.

A big draw for The Grounds is its star, Kevin Bacon. The pig. This Kevin Bacon resides in a little petting zoo for kids, along with chickens and a sheep. He made headlines last year when he was pignapped (along with Bradley the lamb), turning up at an animal sanctuary in Victoria. Luckily for us, Kevin is fully recovered from his ordeal, and is back, along with Bradley, at The Grounds.

The Grounds also features a little playhouse or kids, fenced in (yay!), with a slide and little climbing wall. Considering the wait time for a table, this playhouse and the animals are saviours for parents of itchy-footed toddlers.

Our party included one small toddler, one medium toddler and one preschooler — and The Grounds had something to suit everyone. A cute kids’ menu suited the preschooler (who ordered the burger and fries), hot chips and a kid-sized smoothie for the toddlers (the soothie came in a jar shaped like a bear. The cuteness!!). The adults ordered the Avocado Smash (with poached eggs), Asparagus and Herb Frittata and Salmon with Quinoa. I didn’t note down the exact names of the dishes and prices, and then sadly realised they weren’t listed on their site (d’oh!!). The food was all absolutely delicious, from the smoothie and hot chips, to the famous Avocado Smash.

After our meal, we spotted a gelato stand in the cafe grounds, and ordered a scoop of Pavlova Gelato ($4). It was so good we went back for seconds.

The kids were all going a little nuts after having to sit down for lunch, so we drove down the road to the playground at Sydney Park. The playground is huge, and has great features for kids aged toddler and up, including the rope bridge below, huge slides, swings and a giant sandpit.

Last Bite: Delicious food, fun for the kids, and a nearby park. A perfect score.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A/2 Huntley St,
Alexandria NSW 2015
Phone: 02 9699 2225
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-4pm
Get Directions

Sydney Park
Barwon Park Road
St Peters, NSW, 2044
Entrance to the car park is off the Princes Highway, just after the turnoff to Sydney Park Road (just after the big chimney stacks)

Grandma’s Little Bakery: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Alexandria, Sydney

June 26, 2013 / Alexandria, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Looking for some comfort food that reminds you of grandma’s cooking? Look no further than Grandma’s Little Bakery, a cute, kid-friendly restaurant, café, bakery and store in Alexandra, where their tagline proclaims it’s “just like home”.

With winter undeniably here and it being my last day of maternity leave, I was in desperate need of comfort food. Grandma’s Little Bakery, which had always caught my eye en route the airport, seemed the natural choice, my two men—Baby Lukas and husband Lorin—in tow.

The mouth-watering smell of home-cooked soup and the cheery red-and-white polka-dot table cloths greeted us the second we walked through the door. This being Alexandria, however, Grandma’s Little Bakery is positioned within a warehouse-like building, so it ticks the “little bit trendy” box too.

When I think of comfort food, I think of macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, soup—basically anything warm and cheesy and full of carbs. Grandma’s Little Bakery doesn’t disappoint and you must try the Traditional Chicken Soup ($12.50). The menu here also offers some non-standard comfort-food fare, such as the Couscous Beef Kebab Salad ($12.50), which I just had to try—and I’m glad I did (the picture should say it all).

After we ate (Baby Lukas, occupied with a piece of sumptuous chicken from the soup, let us finish our meals) we took a little tour of the bakery and shop, located just behind the pay counter. Dozens of frozen soups, strudels and jams were neatly aligned on the wooden shelves, ready-made for some of grandma’s comfort food to be enjoyed in—well—the comfort of your home.

As with all good comfort food, my food (and time) at Grandma’s Little Bakery was a great distraction from the realisation that this was my last day of maternity leave. You really can’t ask for more for a place that promises to deliver its wares as being “just like home”.

It’s worth mentioning that there’s an indoor playground area for toddlers and older kids, so boredom won’t be a factor at this Grandma’s!

Last bite: If you’re looking for some comfort food in a trendy but not too-trendy-for-itself venue that’s kid-friendly, Grandma’s Little Bakery in Alexandria is the go.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Grandma’s Little Bakery
42 O’Riordan Street
Alexandria, NSW 2015
Phone: (02) 9690 0069
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sun 7am-4pm
Get Directions

The Grounds of Alexandria: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Alexandria, Sydney

June 10, 2013 / Alexandria, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Grounds of Alexandria is about as kid-friendly a place to eat as you can get: in addition to its indoor dining, there’s a large outdoor garden area with lots of space for prams and careening toddlers. Oh and there’s a pig. Called Kevin Bacon.

The Grounds, as the locals affectionately call it, is an oasis in the inner city known for its coffee (they’ve got a research and testing facility on site) and sustainable food practices (they grow their own herbs and seasonal produce). It’s more a destination spot than just a restaurant, café and bakery. And did I mention they’ve got a pig? Kevin Bacon.

On a gorgeously sunny winter day, I ventured out with Baby Lukas to meet a friend for lunch at The Grounds.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Baby Lukas has been known to nuclear react at this time of day, and The Grounds is perfect for this potential situation: the amazing rustic outdoor garden, nestled amongst produce grown for the café, means that screaming, misbehaving and bored children blend into the scenery instead of standing out. There are lots of nooks and crannies to explore, including a gym for kids. Oh, and did I mention the pig Kevin Bacon?

The Grounds of Alexandria: Kid-Friendly restaurants in Alexandria, via brunchwithmybaby.com — Many places for kids to explore

Once you get over the gorgeousness of the place, the takeaway menu (only available to those eating in the garden) presents mouth-watering options. On today’s outing, I chose a Chicken Burger with Chips, and I can’t recommend this unique burger enough. Don’t ask questions, just order it. You won’t be disappointed.

Baby Lukas kindly waited until I had shoved a few bites into my mouth before deciding to nuclear react, which is about when I played my trump card: off to visit Kevin Bacon. The pig. Needless to say, it worked a treat. Lukas was smitten and I was able to shove the rest of my delicious meal in my face. Happy ending indeed.

Now the one thing I would recommend is getting there early. The Grounds attracts the hordes, and even though the outdoor area is large enough to almost always find a place to sit, the queues for ordering food can be daunting.

Last bite: If you’re looking for a kid-friendly eatery and destination that offers more than just food and excellent coffee on the menu, The Grounds is the place to be.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: No. Lots for kids to eat off the menu, though!

The Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A, N0.2 Huntley St
Alexandria, NSW 2015
Phone: (02) 9699 2225
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat-Sun 7:30am-4pm