baby friendly brooklyn Archives

Smooch Organic: Kid-friendly Cafes, Fort Greene, New York

April 22, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Fort Greene, New York, New York Food / 1 Comment

Smooch Organics is an Australian-owned cafe in leafy Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The service is laid-back and friendly, the ambiance hip, and kids of all ages are welcome.

As an Australian living in New York, I’m always looking to meet other expats, and searching out Aussie-run businesses. Even though I love our life in New York, there is a part of me that’s always homesick, and finding other Aussies and talking about home really helps.

A friend back home recommended Smooch when she saw it written up an Aussie newspaper. Amazingly, it’s in Fort Greene, only a hop, skip and a stroll from where we live, so we checked it out on a (finally!) sunny, spring day.

Smooch Organic — Cute interior – not much room for strollers.

First impressions – it’s quite a hipster little place. Lots of Aussie references with pictures of our beaches and items on the menu named after places I miss, like “The Tamarama” (described as “sexy toast with avocado, tomato, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice, served with a latte, cortada, flat white). My husband misses flat whites possibly more than anything, so was all over this toast and coffee. He says the coffee is solid, by the way, so be sure to check it out if you’re a coffee-lover living nearby.

The cafe is on the small side, with the tables pretty close together. It’s not super kid-friendly for eating in – we could instead suggest either eating on the benches outside, or taking your food to Fort Greene Park, which is just around the corner (literally less than a block away). If you’re after a place to work during the week, this is ideal – they have free wifi and welcome laptops. Yay!

I ordered a smoothie, which was delicious. Cheese and I shared it on the bench outside, enjoying the warm day that had been so long in coming.

As a side note, I saw the owner while we were there. He was in board shorts, thongs (calm down, it’s what Aussies call “flip flops”), and a bucket hat. He was so Aussie I forgot I was in Brooklyn for a moment.

Be sure to take your kids to Fort Greene Park afterwards to run their crazy out – Cheese particularly loves the swings and slide.

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

Smooch Organic
264 Carlton Ave
Brooklyn
Phone: (718) 624 4075
Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-9pm, Thur-Sun 8am-12am

Get directions.

Smorgasburg DUMBO: Kid-friendly Places To Eat, New York

April 16, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, DUMBO, New York, New York Food / 4 Comments

Spring in New York means many things. The end to hibernating indoors, cherry blossoms in Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and the return of outdoor food fairs. Smorgasburg just reopened again in DUMBO, Brooklyn, and we joined the crowds to soak up sun and food from some great local vendors.

The location is amazing. Seriously, how can you beat a food fair situated right under Brooklyn Bridge, on the waterfront, with Manhattan in the distance? You just can’t, so for the most scenic food fair in New York, Smorgasburg wins every single time.

Our favourite vendor at Smorgasburg is Dough, the makers of possibly the most delicious doughnuts I’ve ever eaten in my life. They go fast and usually have a huge queue – but they restock during the day, so doughnut-lovers need not go without their precious Dough.

Other vendors for Smorgasburg DUMBO and Williamsburg are listed together on their website, so you can check in advance if there are things that you and your kids like to eat. They have a huge variety, including basic things pizza, grilled cheese, fries and shakes, so fussy kids and mini foodies are both catered for.

On opening weekend, the crowds were huge and lines were long. Our advice – get there early (it opens at 12pm).

Smorgasburg is right on the waterfront, next to Jane’s Carousel, a picnic area with tables and chairs, as well as a huge grassed area. Nearby are also playgrounds for toddlers and big kids. Bring a ball for the kids to kick around, or a mini stroller if your toddler loves to push things like ours does, and you’ve got a perfect day for the whole family – as long as the weather holds!

Last bite: Great choice for meeting a group of friends or enjoying a day in the sun. Great variety of food – lines can be long, so arrive early.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: It’s open air, so bring your jumbo stroller if you like.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Smorgasburg DUMBO
Tobacco Warehouse
30 Water St DUMBO, Brooklyn
Hours: Sun 11am-6pm, rain or shine.

Spring Cupcakes At La Patisserie: Kid-friendly Cafes, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

April 13, 2013 / Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

Most weekends we drop by La Patisserie for a quick croissant or omelette. This morning, I spotted these new cupcakes, looking adorably sweet and spring-ready (even if the weather outside isn’t quite so pretty right now!). Check them out if you’re around this area of Brooklyn over the weekend.

La Patisserie Boerum Hill — Chocolate mousse cupcakes.

Highchairs: Yes, there is one highchair.
Stroller storage: There is room if they fit through the narrow front door. Think Bugaboo Bee or smaller.
Easy access: Yes. One or two easy steps.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

La Patisserie
411 Atlantic Ave
(between Nevins St & Bond St)
Brooklyn, NY
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-9pm, Sat-Sun 8am-9pm

Get directions.

Get Easter Treats at Betty Bakery; Kid-friendly Cafes Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, NY

March 30, 2013 / Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

We dropped by our local bakery, Betty’s, this morning to pick up some delicious Easter snacks. If you’re like us, you enjoy eating your way through Easter. Yum! Happy Easter everyone!

Marzipan Bunnies – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum HIll

Easter cake and cookies – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum Hill.

Easter Cookies – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum Hill.

Petits Fours – Betty’s Bakery, Boerum Hill.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No. There is space for a few strollers in the store however – we’ve fit three at once and still had room for other customers.
Easy access: No. There is only one step, but it’s a narrow door frame and tricky to manoeuvre the stroller in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Betty Bakery
448 Atlantic Ave,
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: (718) 246 2402
Hours: Tues-Thurs 7:30am-7pm, Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Closed Mondays.

Get directions.

Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain; Kid-friendly Restaurants, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

March 30, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Carroll Gardens, New York, New York Food / 1 Comment

We often end up at the Farmacy on a Sunday afternoon when we’re craving a grilled cheese and shake, and want somewhere close, low key and extremely kid-friendly. I have an obsession with finding the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, and Brooklyn Farmacy has the best grilled cheese I’ve found so far.

Brooklyn Farmacy, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY.

The shakes at Farmacy are phenomenal – we always order a vanilla malt thick shake to share. It arrives in an old fashioned glass, so thick that it’s hard to slurp up through the straw.

Sharing a shake, Brooklyn Farmacy, Carroll Gardens, NY.

What makes the grilled cheese so special? The cheese is plentiful and sharp, and oozes out the sides of the bread. The bread is crispy but not hard, and is toasted in a sandwich press rather than being fried, so it’s never oily.

Grilled cheese glory. Brooklyn Farmacy, Carroll Gardens, NY.

One more reason why we keep coming back to the Farmacy – it’s one of the most kid-friendly, baby-friendly, and, thankfully for us, crazy toddler-friendly restaurants in Brooklyn. No one minds if your toddler, like ours, spends their entire time there running around the store and playing with the old fashioned scale in the entrance. Bless you, Farmacy, we love you.

Highchairs: Yes – but only one. There is, however, plenty of room to keep your baby in their stroller at your table.
Stroller storage: Yes – if it’s not too busy you can leave your stroller in the back room or by the front door.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No (there is a large bathroom where you can change your baby on the floor if needed).
Kids’ menu: Not a special menu, but most of the food is friendly for bigger kids.

Brooklyn Farmacy
513 Henry Street (at Sackett st),
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Phone: (718) 522 6260

Winter/Spring Hours: Mon-Thur 10am-10pm, Fri 10am-11pm, Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 8am-9pm

Get directions.

Moo Burger; Kid-friendly Restaurants, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

March 16, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Cobble Hill, New York, New York Food / 5 Comments

We’re at Moo Burger a lot – it’s our go-to place in the neighbourhood for burgers, shakes and fries. Despite Shake Shake being only a block away, we prefer to walk over to Court Street – for me, it’s because I dream about the uh-mazing sweet potato fries and shakes made with Blue Marble Ice Cream.

The Moo folks sure know their audience. We’re always sat at a table with no wait and Cheese is quickly given a cute little straw cup with water.

Moo’s pitch is “gourmet, organic burgers, sides and drinks, all handcrafted with fresh, local ingredients”. We bring a lot of visitors to eat here and everyone ends up full and very happy.

Especially Miss Cheese. She LOVES the fries. What makes them so great? They’re soft in the middle and crispy on the outside. Basically, your perfect sweet potato fry.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes (stroller must fold up however). On days when it’s not too busy you can fit a larger stroller at the tables.
Easy access: Yes (one step).
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.
Kid-friendly rating: ♥♥♥♥-

MooBurger
240 Court Street,
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: (718) 246 8259

Hours:
Mon 5pm-10pm Tue/Wed/Thu/Sun 12pm-10pm
Fri/Sat 12pm-11pm

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mooburger,+Court+Street,+New+York,+NY&aq=0&oq=MooBurg&sll=40.723795,-73.952515&sspn=0.00896,0.02105&ie=UTF8&hq=Mooburger,&hnear=Court+St,+Brooklyn,+Kings,+New+York&t=m&ll=40.685774,-73.994396&spn=0.01201,0.006295&output=embed&w=425&h=350%5D

two8two Bar & Burger; Kid-friendly Restaurants, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, New York

November 29, 2012 / Brooklyn Bites, Cobble Hill, New York, New York Food / 1 Comment

The name says it all – this low-key joint is all about burger, burgers, and more burgers. They are super-welcoming towards families with kids of all ages too, so it’s a solid choice for a casual lunch out. Friendly, fast service certainly helps, as does the very kid-friendly interior, with very basic tables and chairs. No need to worry about toddlers acting up or throwing food around; they’ll certainly be in good company with the other kids enjoying a somewhat rambunctious weekend lunch with their families.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes – lots of room for strollers.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

two8two Bar & Burger
282 Atlantic Avenue (Between Smith st and Boerum pl),
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 596 2282
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Thu 12pm–12am, Fri-Sat 12pm–1am, Sun 12–11pm
Get directions.

Images thanks to Yelp.