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Sydney Food

Glenorie Bakery: Pies and eclairs and freshly baked bread, oh my!

Glenorie Bakery Sydney

Glenorie Bakery: Pies and eclairs and freshly baked bread, oh my!

Get your pastry on at Glenorie Bakery, a destination for some of the best pies and bread in Sydney. The bakery features cafe dining, indoor and outdoor seating plus a playground.

Glenorie Bakery Sydney

Glenorie Bakery is a well-known pie destination, winning awards such as Bakery of the Year and inclusion of lists for Sydney’s best pies. And yes, Glenorie Bakery does amazing pies, and incredible bread, too. If you want to drop by and pick up a few pies or loaves of bread, it’s worth dropping by at any time. 

Glenorie Bakery Sydney

The bakery also offers a cafe menu and onsite dining, with indoor and outdoor seating. Breakfast is served daily from 7:00am to 11:30am, with lunch taking over from 11:30am to 3:00pm.

Glenorie Bakery Sydney

Glenorie Bakery is open longer hours for takeaway coffee and food. As well as their coffee, pies and breads, the bakery has the most incredible assortment of sweet pastries, fruit tarts and eclairs, plus locally made produce such as jams, juice and honey. There are 14 types of eclairs on offer, including Nutella. They’re our fave!

All of the baked goods are made on-site by the Glenorie Bakery pastry chefs.

Glenorie Bakery

Glenorie Bakery is famous for their award-winning meat pie – however they also do great vegetarian/vegan pies.

Glenorie Bakery Glenorie Bakery

If you have kids, choose a table outside near the play equipment.

Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery Sydney Glenorie Bakery

Find more kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Glenorie Bakery
4/930 Old Northern Rd, Glenorie NSW
(02) 9652 2624
Hours: Mon-Fri 6am-6pm, Sat & Sun 6am-5pm
glenoriebakery.com.au

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Find things to do in Wollongong.

Bells Road Social Native High Tea

Bells Road Social Native High Tea

Enjoy the flavours of Australia with a Native High Tea at the Bells Road Social cafe in Oatlands, Sydney.

Bells Road Social

Bells Road Social is a beautiful little cafe in Oatlands, Sydney. They have developed a beautiful Native High Tea that showcases ingredients that been used by the Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Bookings are essential. There is no kids’ serve of the tea, however they do run a seperate kids’ high tea during school holidays.

Bells Road Social

Bells Road Social

The tea includes savoury and sweet options plus hot tea and a cool mocktail, all featuring native ingredients. We had a special vegetarian version of the high tea.

Bells Road Social

The Native Australian High Tea is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 11 am to 2 pm. Booking is essential (min 2 people).
Price $49 pp.
 
Bells Road Social
 
We really enjoyed our high tea as it was very different from the others we have experienced. It was lovely to introduce my 9-year-old to native Australian ingredients that she had never heard of before. 
 
Bells Road Social
 
We highly enjoyed our Native High Tea experience. Every item of food was delicious, and the service was excellent. I also really appreciated that we were given our own vegetarian menu.
 
Bells Road Social Bells Road Social Bells Road Social Bells Road Social
 
Across the road is a lovely little park with lots of shade and play equipment for kids to run around before or after dining at the Bells Road Social. Free street parking is available directly outside of the cafe.
Bells Road Social Bells Road Social
 
Bells Road Social
1 Bells Rd, Oatlands NSW
Phone: (02) 9684 6221
thebellsroadsocial.com.au
 

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Find things to do in Wollongong.

KOI Dessert Kitchen & Frozen High Tea

Enjoy spectacular desserts beyond your wildest imagination at KOI Dessert Kitchen in Chippendale and Ryde.

Koi Dessert Kitchen

KOI, which stands for ‘Kids of Ike’, is a dessert “kitchen” operated by brothers Ronald, Arnold and Reynold Poernomo. Reynold came to national attention through his appearances on Masterchef – and indeed, a walk into KOI reveals a showcase of the most amazing looking cakes that our eyes have seen.

Koi Dessert Kitchen

The desserts are single serve or cake-sized which are perfect for parties.

Koi Dessert Kitchen

The three brothers aim to deliver KOI diners an experience that arouses and excites the senses. The kitchen is really more like a cafe serving just desserts. They do put on high teas, and we attended their “In Summer” high tea, inspired by Frozen the Musical.

Koi Dessert Kitchen

The High Tea is available Saturdays and Sundays only from 9th January – 31st January at KOI Chippendale and KOI Ryde.

Koi Dessert Kitchen

The high tea comes in adult and child servings. We opted for two adult servings for the three of us to share as hubby isn’t a dessert person and the kid doesn’t like the savouries. The kid version has two less dessert items.

Koi Dessert Kitchen

“In Summer” High Tea includes a selection of savoury bites, “In Summer” inspired desserts and free-flowing tea or coffee.

“IN SUMMMER” HIGH TEA MENU
Eternal Winter (raspberry, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry)
Jade (chocolate, raspberry)
In summer Jar (passionfruit, coconut, pineapple)
Cherry Jazz (cherry, raspberry, jasmine, blood orange, almond)
Salted Caramel Macaron
Chamomile and Honey Scone
Brik Pastry, Tomato Cream, Lump Fish Roe
Chicken and Leek Pie
Tomato on Toast with Feta

$70/person
(Including free flow of tea and coffee)

We had a vegetarian version which had a mushroom pie and tomato cream roll without the fish roe.

Koi Dessert Kitchen Koi Dessert Kitchen Koi Dessert Kitchen Koi Dessert Kitchen Koi Dessert Kitchen Koi Dessert Kitchen

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
High Tea time allocation is 1.5 hour per seating.
Booking time is between 11am to 4pm (last seating).
Minimum 2 people per high tea set.
Please provide 48-hour notice for all dietary requirements. Bookings are highly recommended and must be fully prepaid in advance.
Cancellation policy: 72 hours notification required, in the case booking is canceled less than 72 hours $70/person cancellation fee applies.

koidessertbar.com.au

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Visit the most beautiful Sydney gardens.

Explore Sydney’s best parks.

Find things to do in Wollongong.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

Try authentic Thai dishes at P’Nut Street Noodles, located in Sydney, Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

P’Nut Street Noodles are a small chain of restaurants offering eat-in or take away dishes that offer a taste of Thailand in Australia. 

Owned by chef P’Nut (the nickname given to him by his friends and family), P’Nut Street Noodles aims to transport diners to the streets of Thailand. The street-style noodles, soups and salads offered in store are created with authentic, make-from-scratch sauces directly from Thailand, using P’Nut’s own recipes.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

We recently visited the P’Nut Street Noodles store in Balmain to try their new Nuts about Taste menu. We love Thai cuisine and were really thrilled with how delicious our meals were – they really reminded us of our Thai trip a few years back and the flavoursome food we ate at street stalls.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

P’Nut Street Noodles offers an array of hot noodle and rice dishes, salads and soups, sides and desserts. All P’Nut outlets offer nut-free, gluten-free, and vegan variants on most dishes – you can see the full menu online and sort the menu to see which items are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, spicy or contain egg. 

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

A great option right now for families is the Family Meal Deal, which includes two street food or soups and salad with chicken or vegetable, plus two kids meals and a choice of two sides for $55.95.

We were keen to try some items from the new P’Nut Street Noodles menu, which includes some fun Aussie-inspired dishes including Chicken Spring Rolls with Sweet Plum Sauce, Popcorn Chicken with Sriracha Mayonnaise, Popcorn Prawn with Sriracha Mayo, Roti Bread with Peanut Sauce, Molten Chocolate Cake and Nutella Spring Rolls. 

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

We chose the Mongolian with Jasmine Rice, Pad Thai with vegetables, Roti Canai with Satay Sauce. Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet Plum Sauce and Nutella Spring Roll, as well as the Curly Wurly Noodles from the kids’ menu (egg noodles with teriyaki sauce and fresh veggies). All kids’ meals come with a drink and a cute pair of reusable kids’ chopsticks.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

Our dishes were made quickly from scratch and delivered piping hot. The serves were generous and dishes were just busting with flavour. The Roti Canai was so flaky and light that it was a firm favourite that we would have ordered several more servings of.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

The Nutella Spring Roll was a delightful addition – dripping with ooey Nutella, it’s something none of us had tried before.

P’Nut Street Noodles: Authentic Thai Food in Sydney

P’Nut Street Noodles has 11 locations across Sydney, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. You can find your nearest branch online.

This blog post was written in collaboration with P’Nut Street Noodles. All opinions are my own.

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Explore the best Sydney gardens and parks.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

A Purriffic Time at the Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

A Purriffic Time at the Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Enjoy a coffee with a side of cat at the Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney. Catmosphere is Sydney’s original cat cafe, and while it offers several kitty experiences, it is first and foremost a cat rescue.

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

About the Catmosphere Cat Cafe

Catmosphere’s owners are passionate cat rescuers, who have been rescuing and rehoming cats for over a decade. Catmosphere partners with two rescue groups; the World League for Protection of Animals and Kitten University. “The former works to find homes for all displaced cats and the latter specialises in nursing young, orphaned kittens, and rehoming them when they are healthy and old enough.” 

Catmosphere fosters these displaced cats and kittens and cares for them financially as well as ensuring all of their welfare needs are met. It’s the dream of the Catmosphere team to “provide a sustainable, safe space for rescue cats and kittens until they find their forever homes, and provide people with all the information and resources they need about rescue cats”.

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Where do the cats come from?

All of the cats at Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney are rescues. The majority are permanent residents who have been adopted by the Catmosphere owners after having been observed for one to two years to ensure their suitability for cat cafe life. According to the Catmosphere website, “most of these cats were either surrendered to their rescue group or found on the streets, unowned, and unable to survive on their own in the outside world”.

There are also cats at the cafe who are adoptable and looking for a new home. Living at the cat cafe helps the cats socialisation skills, as well as giving them added exposure to the public and making the adoption process easier for those looking to add a kitty to their family.

The majority of the kittens who come to Catmosphere have been orphaned at an early age and raised in foster care by Kitten University volunteers. 

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

What are the rules for interacting with the cats

Don’t pick up the cats. This ensures the cats interact with visitors only on their terms. 

Let the cats com to you. If the cats are up high on shelves or inside their boxes, let them rest.

Talk at a normal sound level.

Keep mobile phones on silent and turn flashes off.

No food is allowed inside.

All bags must be checked into lockers on arrival.

Visitors must stay seated at all times due to physical distance regulations.

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Tips for interacting with the cats

Stay low on the floor, be calm and gentle, and let the cats come to you. We sat quietly on the chairs and floors and had plenty of the cats approach us to play with them or for a pat. Some jumped onto our laps.

Sometimes the cats will not want to interact with visitors. They might stay in hidey holes or up on shelves. 

“The cats of Catmosphere, and cats in general, tend to be more active in the morning (10am – 12pm) and later in the evening (5pm onwards).” 

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Cat Experiences

Cat Lounge

The Cat Lounge is for people aged 8+ who enjoy a more peaceful experience. The adult cats here are generally calm and chill, so the Cat Lounge experience is perfect for those looking for a zen experience.

Visitors to the Cat Lounge must be aged 8-years-old and over as the noise and energy levels of younger children and babies is often too much for the cats.

This experience takes place in a shared space, unless you have booked it privately.

A Cat Lounge experience includes:
50 minutes with adorable rescue cats in the Cat Lounge
A complimentary drink from our standard menu (you can choose to upgrade to our optional Premium Menu when making a booking)
A briefing from one of our dedicated hosts who will help you better interact with the cats in their space

The Cat Lounge is located on the first floor and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

The Treehouse

The Treehouse experience is for people aged 5+ who are looking to hang out with an energetic group of adoptable juniors/kittens.

The ages of the kittens/juniors varies. When we visited The treehouse, the youngest cat was 8 months old and the oldest in the room was a year and a half.

Visitors to the Treehouse must be aged 5-years-old and over as the noise and energy levels of younger children and babies is often too much for the cats.

A Treehouse experience includes:
50 minutes with adoptable juniors/kittens in the Treehouse
A complimentary drink from our standard menu (you can choose to upgrade to our optional Premium Menu when making a booking)
A briefing from one of our dedicated hosts who will help you better interact with the cats in their space

The Treehouse is located on the second floor and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Catflix Cat Cinema

Watch a movie in comfy reclining floor lounge seating accompanied by some fellow film-loving cats. 

A Catflix Cat Cinema experience includes:
Comfortable reclining floor lounge seating (standard seating available upon request, though the cats don’t respond as well to this)
A movie on our big screen
Wireless headphones so you can control your own volume and the cats hear nothing but sweet, sweet silence
A complimentary drink from a curated menu including milkshakes and mocktails
A blanket and very small portion of treats to help attract and woo a cat when your natural charm just isn’t working

Children and babies under 5-years-old are not permitted into the Catflix Cat Cinema experience and children 12 years old and under must be supervised at all times by a paying parent/guardian.

Individual screenings will have different age limits.

Catflix Cat Cinema is located on the first floor and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.

Cat Yoga

Enjoy, yep, a yoga class with cats! Kids aged 8+ are welcome.

A Cat Yoga experience includes:
45 minutes of yoga amongst the cats
15 minutes of pure cat interaction
An experienced yoga instructor
Inner peace, probably
Should you forget your yoga mat, we do have some spare.

Cat Yoga is located on the first floor and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.

Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney Catmosphere Cat Cafe Sydney

Catmosphere Cat Cafe
66 Foveaux St, Surry Hills
catmospherecafe.com.au

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Armory Wharf Cafe: Waterfront & Family-Friendly Cafe in Sydney

Armory Wharf Cafe

Armory Wharf Café

The Armory Wharf Café in Sydney Olympic Park is a family-friendly, waterfront cafe with a casual vibe and al fresco seating. 

Armory Wharf Cafe

Located on the edge of the Parramatta River in the Newington Nature Reserve, the Armory Wharf Café is a licensed venue that has stunning 270-degree water views of mangroves and the industrial Armory wharf. 

Armory Wharf Cafe

The Armory Wharf Café has a mix of shaded outdoor and indoor seating, and a menu that offers fresh, seasonal cuisine.

Armory Wharf Cafe

There are daily specials and a decent amount of options for kids.

Armory Wharf Cafe Armory Wharf Cafe

The cafe is an extremely popular spot for families in particular, with its close proximity to Blaxland Riverside Playground. There is a section of the playground close enough for older kids to enjoy while their parents are waiting for meals to arrive in the cafe. 

Armory Wharf Cafe

Our group ordered the Beer-battered Fish n Chips (served with mushy peas and tartar sauce, $24), Grilled Salmon (served with a spinach, nut and grain salad and beetroot hummus, $28), Berry Good Smoothie (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and skim milk, $8), Loaded Focaccia (housemate focaccia topped with scrambled eggs, haloumi, spinach, tomato relish and avocado, $20), Kids’ Mini Pizza Pocket (cheese and tomato pizza pocket, $12).

Armory Wharf Cafe Armory Wharf Cafe Armory Wharf Cafe Armory Wharf Cafe

The fish and chips, salmon and loaded focaccia meals were all excellent. Great sized services, bright, fresh produce and excellently cooked. All meals arrived quickly and were very well made.

The only dish that was a let down was the pizza pockets. They were a bit sweet and weird tasting, and not a hit with any of us unfortunately.

I would highly advise making reservations to secure a spot. Parking is available nearby however is limited and is also used for the playground, so arrive early enough to wait for a spot to become available if you are visiting on a weekend. 

Afterwards, take kids to Blaxland Riverside Playground or to explore the Newington Armory.

Armory Wharf Cafe
Blaxland Riverside Park, Jamieson Street, off Holker St, Newington NSW
Hours: Wed-Sun 9am–2pm
http://www.armorywharfcafe.com

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park: Kid-friendly Cafes in Sydney

Sotto on Ryde

Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park: Kid-friendly Cafes in Sydney

Sotto on Ryde Cafe is a family-friendly gem, located in Ryde Park, Sydney. The cafe features outdoor seating, overlooks a playground and is a few steps from a bike and scooter track.

The cafe features a very reasonably-priced menu, with all-day breakfast, weekday lunch specials, and an excellent kids’ menu.

Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney

The cafe is open-air, with plenty of tables, and overlooks the playground and park.

Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Ryde Park, Sydney

The service is efficient and fast. The food fresh and served quickly.

Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney

There are easily-accessible public restrooms at the rear of the cafe.

Sotto on Ryde Cafe, Ryde Park, Sydney

The playground is best suited to preschool/ lower primary-aged kids.

Ryde Park, Sydney Ryde Park, Sydney Ryde Park, Sydney

Read more about visiting Ryde Park and Ryde Park scooter and bike track..

Sotto on Ryde Cafe
30 Argyle Ave, Ryde
Hours: Daily, 7am-5pm
sotto-on-ryde.business.site

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Bodhi Restaurant Bar: Vegan Yum Cha Sydney

Bodhi Restaurant Bar: Vegan Yum Cha Sydney

Bodhi Restaurant Bar: Vegan Yum Cha Sydney

Enjoy vegan yum cha in the heart of Sydney at Bodhi Restaurant Bar. Located under St Mary’s Cathedral, diners can relax under fig trees while being served bright, fresh yum cha dishes. 

Bodhi Restaurant Sydney

Bodhi is a Sydney dining institution. Perfectly situated in the centre of the CBD, overlooking Cook + Phillip Park, the restaurant and bar features a large outdoor dining area as well as inside seating. 

Bodhi Restaurant Sydney

The restaurant opened in 1988 as one of the first vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Sydney, and has been a family-owned and operated business for three generations. Bodhi today is the longest running and largest vegan establishment in Australia. 

Bodhi has a strong emphasis on fresh ingredients, with a company ethos of “do no harm”, and “minimize your impact”. Their chefs follow aBuddhist vegan cooking philosophy, using no garlic, onion, chives, scallions and leek in their dishes. As a result, the food is quite subtle in flavour. 

Bodhi Restaurant Sydney

Bodhi also has a large variety of dishes catering to special dietary needs such as gluten or nut allergies.

​The vegan yum cha menu includes dumplings (my fave are the sweet Japanese pumpkin dumplings), fresh items such as blanched fresh kalian vegetables and Vietnamese rice paper salad wraps, steamed dishes, including the delicious green vegetable bread buns, oven-baked/fried/sauteed dishes (the vegetable curry puff is a must-try) and sweets. We loved the adorable custard lava buns shaped like pigs.

Bodhi Restaurant Sydney

Inside the dumplings and buns you’ll find a mix of vegetables, tofu and mock meats. The menu is extremely wide and varied, so even the pickiest of eaters will be able to find something that they like.

Bodhi Restaurant Sydney

We are frequent visitors to Bodhi and always find the staff to be extremely knowledgable about ingredients and accomodating.

Bodhi Restaurant Sydney

It’s a great place to take kids to try some new dishes, too. With the open-air dining area and wide tables with plenty of space in between, it’s an easy place to bring the family and relax. 

There is parking under St Mary’s Cathedral nearby, or in the Domain car park. Both have reasonable weekend rates. Read more about where to find cheap parking in Sydney.

Make a day of it – find the best things to do in the Sydney CBD with kids.

Bodhi Restaurant Bar
2/4 College St, Sydney
Hours: Yum cha Wed-Fri 11am-3pm, Sat-Sun 11am-4pm. Dinner (a la carte) Tue-Sun 5pm-10pm.
https://www.bodhirestaurant.com.au/

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Things to do in the Southern Highlands.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

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

Bodhi Restaurant Bar: Vegan Yum Cha Sydney

Gordon’s Cafe Clovelly: Kid-friendly Cafes in Sydney

Gordon’s Cafe Clovelly: Kid-friendly Cafes in Sydney

Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney

Family-friendly Gordon’s is a relaxed cafe in Sydney’s Clovelly, serving healthy fresh food, a stone’s throw from Gordons Bay.

Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney

Gordon’s is open 7 days a week, serving all-day breakfast and lunch, plus selected evenings (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). This is a friendly neighbourhood cafe where the focus is on serving the locals delicious, wholesome, seasonal food. Gordon’s is fully licensed and has a collection of Australian and Italian wines plus Mountain Goat craft beer on tap.

There is seating available both inside and out. The cafe is extremely popular so on weekends, I suggest calling ahead for a reservation.

Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney

The friendly staff offered us a kids’ menu/colouring-in sheet plus crayons on arrival (thanks!). The kids offerings are pretty standard and reasonably priced. Even though it was only 10am, a kids’ pasta was ordered – a excellent sized portion and thanks for being so flexible to the staff.

Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney

Hubby and I both ordered the Gordons Stack (with layered tomato, haloumi, avocado, poached eggs & bacon on sourdough topped w. hollandaise & served w. mixed leaf
$19). I requested mine without hollandaise and bacon and was offered a vege alternative – I chose spinach.

Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney

We also ordered the Mixed Berry Smoothie ($7.50).

Gordons Cafe Clovelly Sydney

The food arrived quickly and was fresh, pretty and delicious. An absolute neighborhood gem! 

Burnie Park-Clovelly Burnie Park-Clovelly

Just down the street is Burnie Park, which is a lovely bit shady park, including a nice sized playground.

Gordons Bay is about a 600m walk to get to from the cafe. Read more about visiting Gordons Bay.

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

Gordons Cafe
353/355 Clovelly Rd,
Clovelly NSW
Reservations: (02) 9665 2342
Hours: Mon-Thurs 6:30am-2:30pm, Fri 6:30am-3pm, Sat & Sun 7am-3pm
gordonscafe.com.au
Get Directions

 

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The Coal Loader and Coal Loader Cafe, Waverton

The Coal Loader Waverton Sydney

The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability and Coal Loader Cafe, Waverton

The Coal Loader is an historic venue in North Sydney, including a large green space, community garden, elevated platform with harbour views, bush walks and the Coal Loader Cafe.

The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability is located on the Waverton peninsula. It’s a fascinating place to delve into Sydney’s past and also learn about its sustainable future. 

The Coal Loader Waverton

Coal Loader History

The Aboriginal Cammeraygal people called the peninsula home for thousands of years. A large rock engraving of a whale survives at the entrance to the Coal Loader site, and there is further evidence of the indigenous community carved into rocks on the bush walks. 

The Coal Loader Waverton

The Coal Loader opened in the early 1920s to serve as a transfer depot for coal to be moved from bulk carriers to smaller coal-fired vessels or to be distributed by road. The elevated platform which is now a place for the community to gather as well as the face of North Sydney’s sustainability plan, once housed a large coal stockpile.

Underneath the platform are a series of tunnels through which coal was transported into coal ‘skips’. The site was decommissioned in the early 1990s. After being dedicated a public open space in 1997, North Sydney Council took over management of the site in 2003, working with a grant from the Australian and NSW Governments to transform the space into the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability.

The site operated for over 70 years before being decommissioned. The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability was opened in July 2011, and the Coal Loader platform opened in March 2018.

Today, the Coal Loader is a place for the community to gather and relax, dine, and learn about sustainable living practices. 

Genia McCaffery Centre

The Genia McCaffery Centre, located inside the historic sandstone building onsite, is a place to visit and be inspired by sustainable concepts. Visitors can get information on how to “green up” their lives, participate in book swaps, and drop off batteries, compact fluorescent lightbulbs, toner cartridges, corks, soft plastics or mobile phones and their accessories for recycling.

The Coal Loader Waverton

Coal Loader Platform

The platform is one of Sydney’s largest publicly accessible green roof spaces. At one hectare in size (or seven Olympic swimming pools next to each other), the concrete and sandstone platform is a multipurpose recreational space displaying sustainable technology and community gardens.

The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton

Coal Loader Cottage Community Garden

Dotted around the Genia McCaffery Centre, cafe and platform are an array of community gardens and the native bush nursery. In total there are 40 raised garden beds, aquaponics facilities, fruit trees and herb planters. Visitors are welcome to admire the gardens and have a bit of a sniff at the produce as it grows – but must be a member of the community gardens to access any produce. 

The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton

Aboriginal Bush Foods Garden

The ‘bush foods’ garden has a variety of edible and otherwise useful native plants from the local area.

Chook Run

While the chickens were on holiday when we visited, they usually live at the Coal Loader and visitors can learn how to keep their own chooks at home.

Coal Loader Cafe

The Coal Loader Cafe is currently open Wednesday to Sunday serving delicious light breakfast and brunch meals. Book a table or be prepared for a bit of a wait. The cafe has a kids’ menu and options for vegetarians.

The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton

Coal Loading Tunnels

Take the elevator or stairs down to the Coal Loader tunnels and explore tunnel 1, features the original coal feeder and cart, and tunnel 2, which takes visitors 160m through the dark to bushland of Balls Head.

The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton

Foreshore Park and Walks

Past the tunnels is the foreshore park with plenty of bush walks. You can also access the park by road if you won’t wish to go through the tunnel. The 2.8 hectare park features a native havens demonstration garden (habitat for fauna), wetlands, picnic areas, and foreshore walk. Along the walk are interpretive signs which talk about the site’s heritage and sustainable transformation. The walk to Balls Head Reserve traverses through the largest bushland remnant in North Sydney.

The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton The Coal Loader Waverton

Digital Kids Trail

While our kid was easily entertained during our visit with scooting, exploring and bushwalking, families can also check out the free digital kids trail, which helps kids discover the Coal Loader’s history, sustainability features, native planting, food gardens, bats, chickens and more. Visit http://www.TheCoalLoader.com.au on your mobile device to begin.

The Coal Loader Waverton Sydney

The Coal Loader
2 Balls Head Dr, Waverton
https://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/Environment_Waste/The_Coal_Loader
https://www.facebook.com/Coal-Loader-Cafe-543816115654540
http://www.coalloadercafe.com.au/

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

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Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

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Chase waterfalls in Sydney.

More things to do on the Central Coast.

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Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

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Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

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

The Coal Loader Waverton Sydney