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kid friendly sydney

Call Me Harris: Kid-Friendly Cafes Sydney

September 16, 2018 / CBD, Pyrmont, Sydney / 0 comment

Located on at the end of Harris Street, Pyrmont, Call Me Harris offers beautiful water views along with fresh baked foods, all day brekkie and a great range of healthy meal choices.

Sitting next to Pirrama Park and Pirrama Playground, it’s a great location for families to drop by to stave off the hangar attack or to get a much needed caffeine hit.

With coffee by Three Pence Roasters, Call Me Harris has a reputation for serving excellent coffee.

The open air cafe is casual and fun. Choose a seat and order at the counter, and be sure to take a selfie in the blue throne chair when you do.

We love the all-day brekkie menu, choosing the Smashed Avocado and Sumac Tomatoes ($18) and Poke Salad, made with chicken or salmon ($18) as our meals of choice. There is a kids’ lunch menu but not breakfast, but a Eggs and Bacon on sourdough dish ($14) does the job, substituting the bacon for a hash brown. We also choose a Fruit Tingle smoothie, which is made from mixed berries and pineapple juice.

If baked goods are you thing then you will love the fluffy and fresh treats made daily on site. Cruffins are a regular feature, as are red velvet croissants. Today however, these cronuts are on offer and they look delicious.

Kids will love the child-sized tables and chairs that are scattered around. Adults will love the cheerful ambiance, excellent food and friendly staff.

Public bathrooms are around the back of the kitchen, including a disabled toilet and baby change table.

Read more about Pirrama Park and Playground here.

Call Me Harris
20 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat & Sun 8am-5pm
Phone: 0431 694 002
Online facebook.com/callmeharrispyrmont

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

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

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

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

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

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

24 Kid-friendly Restaurants in Sydney (that parents will enjoy too)

November 14, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Having a kid these days doesn’t mean your foodie adventures have to come to an end. Spectacular Sydney is serving up plenty of delightful choices for families to take their mini-gourmets to enjoy fancy babyccinos along with a perfectly smashed avo.

Check out my top kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney – where the wee ones can eat and play while adults dine on fine cuisine.

Kid-friendly Restaurants in Sydney

acre Artarmon

Enjoy farm-inspired food grown on-site at acre Artarmon. This open-air urban oasis features indoor and outdoor seating, picnic style areas, kids’ play area and chicken coop.

acre Artarmon is a cafe, restaurant, bar and bakery set within sprawling indoor and outdoor gardens that produce the food that goes straight into kitchen to produce the meals.

Get more info on visiting acre Artarmon.

Acre Artarmon
1 Frederick Street, Artarmon
Hours:
Cafe Bakery: Mon – Sat 7am – 5pm | Sun 7am – 3pm
Restaurant: Thursday 4.30pm – 10.30pm | Fri 12pm – 11pm | Sat 12pm – 11pm | Sun 12pm – 4pm
acre-artarmon.com.au

Glenorie Bakery in Glenorie

Technically this is a bakery but it’s still one of our top go-tos in Sydney for a delicious brekkie. Glenorie Bakery serves a top brekkie and lunch as well as award-winning pies and sensational eclairs. Kids will love the play area out the back.

Get more info on visiting Glenorie Bakery.

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

Lab Kitchen Five Dock

Lab Kitchen Five Dock serves up delicious, seasonal, modern Western-Eastern dishes at a reasonable price – and has a massive backyard filled with play equipment and toys for kids. What more could you ask for?

Get more info on visiting Lab Kitchen.

Lab Kitchen Five Dock
Hours: Daily, 7am-4pm
108 Great N Rd, Five Dock
Website: labkitchen.com.au

The Picnic Burwood

The Picnic at Burwood is a whimsical elevation of the humble outdoor dining experience. The outdoor cafe is located inside a pavilion in a park in Burwood, a few metres from a large, fenced in playground. The menu is delightful and delicious. Adults can order the very insta-worthy pavlova hotcakes while kids’ eyes light up to see the adorable “bear” dish of bear-shaped toastwith banana and blueberries.The Picnic is our constant go-to and is always on the list of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Get more info on visiting The Picnic Burwood here.

The Picnic Burwood
Burwood Rd & Park Ave, Burwood
Hours: Tue-Sun 8am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
Website: facebook.com/Thepicnicburwood

Black Star Rosebery and Entertainment Quarter

The home of delicious pastry such as the famous watermelon cake as well as quiche that tastes like heaven, Black Star’s Rosebery and Moore Park cafes are perfect places to take the kids to appreciate the finer tastes in life. Both have large seating areas with plenty of tables and space for strollers, and the Rosebery one has a nice little set of toys for kids to play with while they’re munching their way through some of the best cake in Sydney.

Get more information on visiting Black Star Rosebery here.

Black Star Pastry
C1, 85-113 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery
Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-3pm Sat & Sun 8am-4pm

210 Bent St, The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park
Hours: Mon-Thur 8am-5pm, Fri & Sat, 8am-8pm, Sunday 8am-4pm
Website: blackstarpastry.com.au

Burnt Orange – Mosman

The Burnt Orange cafe is housed in an historic sandstone manor overlooking Sydney Harbour. Adults are spoiled for choice with an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, while kids can enjoy fine dining of their own with options such as the crumbed whiting fillets with chips, pasta spirals with fresh tomato sauce or mini organic cheeseburger with chips served with a smartie cookie and a choice of fresh orange juice, strawberry or chocolate milk for $15. Next to the dining area upstairs is a gorgeous boutique store filled with kids toys and clothes.

Get more info on visiting Burnt Orange here and on their amazing high tea here.

Burnt Orange
1109 Middle Head Rd, Mosman
Hours: Daily 8:30am-5:30pm
Website: burntorange.com.au

Clover Cafe – Annandale

A cheerful little cafe on Annandale, a part of Sydney with loads of young families. A kids play area with sturdy toys keeps little ones entertained while their parents enjoy their baked eggs and fresh juice. While the breakfast menu is light on kids meals the lunch menu has a choices such as the every-popular toastie.

Clover Cafe
78 Booth St, Annandale
Hours: Daily, 7am-3pm
Website: facebook.com/CloverAnnandale

Three Williams – Redfern

A cafe in the trendy part of Redfern, Three Williams is a delightful surprise for families looking to dine in the area. A peek inside the entrance into the cavernous underground cafe reveals plenty of space. Kids love to race up and down the ramp intended for disabled access, that leads them straight to a giant chalkboard and small play area. The food is fantastic and the staff extremely kind towards their youngest guests.

Get more info on visiting Three Williams here.

Three Williams
613a Elizabeth St, Redfern
Hours: Daily, 7am-4pm
Website: threewilliamscafe.com

The Grounds of Alexandria

This cafe is constantly rated one of Sydney’s best for a very good reason. The Grounds of Alexandra is a cornucopia of whimsical delights. From the farm animals (meeting the famous pig, “Kevin Bacon” is a must) to the play area, fountain and rambling paths leading through gardens and lanes bursting with flowers, statues and tiny creative details, the external grounds at The Grounds is, in itself, worth a visit alone.

The food is excellent: the popular “signature avocado” set a new standard in smashed avo brekkies when introduced a few years back. The Grounds is such a special place to visit that it is always right up the top of lists mentioning the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Get more info on visiting The Grounds of Alexandria here.

The Grounds of Alexandria
7A, 2 Huntley St, Alexandria
Hours: Mon-Thurs 7am-9pm, Friday 7am-10pm, Saturday 7:30am-10pm, Sunday 7:30am-9pm
Website: thegrounds.com.au

Bitton Gourmet – Alexandria and Oatley

Ask for a table out the back next to the small toddler play area when dining at Bitton Gourmet with littles. Adults enjoy the delicious French-Australian cuisine while the kids love that they have somewhere to play while waiting for their scrambled eggs. We love their all-day breakfast menu and the can-do staff who are always happy to help in anyway they can.

Bitton Gourmet can now be found at Oatley, too, where they have the same menu in a bigger venue with a backyard and play area for kids (photo above).

Get more info on visiting Bitton Gourmet Alexandria here and Bitton Gourmet Oatley here.

Bitton Gourmet
36-37A Copeland St, Alexandria
Hours: Wed-Sat 7am-9pm, Sun-Tues 7am-4pm.
Website: bittongourmet.com.au/alexandria

119a Mulga Rd, Oatley
Hours: Wed-Sat 7am-9pm, Sun-Tues 7am-4pm.
Website: bittongourmet.com.au/oatley

The Incinerator Willoughby

A popular cafe for families on Sydney’s North Shore, the cafe is inside old incinerator that has been given a new lease of life. Outdoor tables and grassy areas give kids plenty of room to roam while their parents enjoy “Have it your way” free range eggs and Ti Tam milkshakes. A nearby playground provides a convenient place to let kids run around if there’s a wait for tables.

Get more info on visiting The Incinerator Cafe here.

The Incinerator Willoughby
2 Small St, Willoughby
Hours: Sun-Thurs 7am-4pm, Fri & Sat 7am-4pm, 5pm-10pm
Website: theincinerator.com.au

Coogee Pavilion

Head to the back of the Coogee Pavilion to find a paradise for kids and their parents. Giant games of Connect Four and Scrabble, building blocks, board games and a colouring table entertain the kids, leaving adults free to enjoy a well-deserved drink. The wood-fire pizzas are our fave dishes to order.

Get more info on visiting the Coogee Pavilion here and on the perfect day in Coogee here.

Coogee Pavilion
169 Dolphin St, Coogee
Hours: Daily, 7:30am-12am
Website: merivale.com.au/coogeepavilion

Camperdown Commons

Order a meal from acre, the sustainably-focused eatery at Camperdown Commons, while the kids play nearby. Diners can choose between a large, sit down restaurant and bar, container with takeaway coffee and snacks and a casual outdoor area on the terrace or lawn area outside. Many of the ingredients in the dishes come directly from the pocket gardens onsite, making the dining experience very literally farm-to-table. Families will particularly love the outdoor area with its interactive kids’ play space and chicken coop where rescue hens from battery farms now live a life of luxury.

Get more info on visiting Camperdown Commons here.

Camperdown Commons
31a Mallett Street, Camperdown
Hours: Mon-Thu 12pm–3pm, 5pm–10pm, Fri-Sun 8am–3pm, 5pm–10pm
Website: camperdown.commons.com.au

The Tramsheds – Harold Park

Located at Harold Park, The Tramsheds is a must-visit for kids who are obsessed with wheels. The old Rozelle Tramway Depot, originally built in 1904, has been beautifully refurbished and given a new life as a hub for restaurants and facilities for local residents.

The full-sized resorted tram inside the Tramsheds is now part of the dining area for the Butcher & The Farmer cafe, so you can ask for a table inside and let your little one pretend to drive it while waiting for their babyccino to arrive.

Get more info on our visit to the Tramsheds here and all the kid-friendly dining options it offers.

The Tramsheds
1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge
Hours: Daily, 7am-late
Website: tramshedsharoldpark.com.au

Vogue Cafe – North Ryde

While the Vogue Cafe sits inside busy Macquarie Shopping Centre, from the inside it feels like Wonderland. It’s an adorable, whimsical place, with a straightforward menu and fantastical shakes. Called “Magical Milkshakes”, they are topped with things like whipped cream, rice bubbles, pop corn and jelly snakes, with a chocolate and sprinkles rim.

The food is always delicious and the staff friendly. A small, enclosed play space has been a welcome addition to the cafe by families of younger kids.

Read more about our visit to the Vogue Cafe here.

The Vogue Cafe
109 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am-6pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm
Website: facebook.com/TheVogueCafe

Bills at Bondi

When you want hotcakes, you go to Bills, even if you have kids in tow. What I really enjoy about Bills is happy and easy-going vibe. The friendly staff bring little ones coloured pencils and paper to entertain them while you wait for your brunch.

Scrambled eggs or boiled eggs and toast soldiers will keep the little ones happy from the breakfast menu, or order a linguini, junior burger or schnitzel for lunch. Their French fries are also excellent.

Read more about our visit to Bills Bondi here.

Bills Bondi
79 Hall St, Bondi Beach
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-10pm
Website: bills.com.au

Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour

This big, bright and bold restaurant is an excellent edition to Darling Harbour, situated near the ICC building. The seating is casual – grab a table and order at the bar. There’s plenty for kids to look at, including the pizza kitchen and fresh pasta station, plus a games area (best suited for older kids) and house-made dessert and gelato counter. The kids’ menu is massive and has something to suit everyone, rather like the menu for adults. Keep an eye out for special kids eat free deals.

A few steps outside Fratelli Fresh is the excellent Darling Quarter playground.

Read more about our experience at Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour here.

Fratelli Fresh
2/14 Darling Dr, Darling Harbour
Hours: Daily, 7am-12am
Website: fratellifresh.com.au/venues/darling-harbour

The Tramshed Cafe – Narrabeen

Hop aboard a beautifully resorted 1930s tram at this bright and cheery cafe on Narrabeen Lake. Not only is the tram excellent fun itself, the cafe serves up delicious Modern Australian cuisine and offers its youngest diners and excellent kids’ menu. A large playground is situated outside the cafe, and the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail starts directly behind the cafe, making it the perfect outing for families.

Read more about our visit to the Tramshed Cafe here.

The Tramshed Cafe
1395a Pittwater Road, Narrabeen
(02) 9970 7486
Hours: Daily, 7am-5pm
Website: thetramshed.com.au

The Cove Dining Co – Abbotsford

The Cove Dining Co cafe is located inside the community hall of what was once the Abbotsford Nestlé factory site, a heritage-listed building. The dining room is spacious, with long tables, or choose alfresco seating on the outdoor verandah with a lovely view of the lush gardens surrounding the building and let the kids play while they wait for their meals.

This is one incredible family-friendly cafe, as evidenced by how accessible it is for strollers and wheelchairs, and provide use of highchairs, baby change tables, toys and colouring in equipment.

Read more about our visit to The Cove Dining Co here.

The Cove Dining Co
378 Great N Rd, Abbotsford, NSW
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-2pm, Sat & Sun 8am-3pm
Phone: (02) 9713 7896
Online thecovediningco.com.au

The Innocent Kitchen – Sydenham

The Innocent Kitchen is a sweet and simple cafe run by two sisters in Sydney’s inner west. The menu is basic and located on a blackboard. Choose from items like a bacon and egg roll and toasted sandwiches. Kids can order fairy bread, raisin toast, vegemite or peanut butter sandwiches and toasties. The babyccinos are free!

Read more about our visit to The Innocent Kitchen here.

The Innocent Kitchen
288 Unwins Bridge Rd, Sydenham NSW
Hours: Mon-Wed 7am-12pm, Thur & Fri 7am-2pm, Sat 8am-1pm, closed Sundays.
Online: facebook.com/TheInnocentKitchen

The Tiny Giant – Petersham

This tiny little cafe in Sydney’s inner west is a hot spot for pretty and tasty dishes. Expect creative and delicious breakfasts including their famous brioche toast which is completely clouded in bright-pink fairy floss, berries and cinnamon ricotta. The Tiny Giant makes the list because their kids dishes are just as cute and creative as the grown-up versions.

Read more about our visit to The Tiny Giant here.

The Tiny Giant
110 Audley St, Petersham
Mon-Fri 6:30am-3pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-3pm.
Ph: 02 8065 4684
thetinygiant.com.au

Frankie’s Food Factory – Milperra

Enjoy modern classics in the heart of a leafy nursery at Frankie’s Food Factory, inside Flower Power Milperra.

There is an excellent kids’ menu with something to suit the fussiest of diners, and a large, fenced playground attached to the outdoor dining area.

Read more about our visit to Frankie’s Food Factory here.

Frankie’s Food Factory at Flower Power Milperra
479 Henry Lawson Drive, Milperra
Hours: Daily, 8.30am-5pm
Phone: (02) 9899 2299
frankiesfoodfactory.com

The Marsden Brewhouse – Marsden Park

The Marsden Brewhouse is a hotel and brewery located in Marsden Park, north-west Sydney. The large and airy interior is perfect for casual dining with little ones, and with their huge outdoor playground attached they are prepared for the smallest diners to come, eat and play.

The kids’ menu features plenty of choice at a good price point ($10 for most meals, including a drink). On weekends there is often a small animal farm set up in the playground for kids to enjoy, free of charge.

Read more about our visit to The Marsden Brewhouse here.

Marsden Brewhouse, Sydney
Cnr Richmond Road and, Hawthorne Ave, Marsden Park
Phone: (02) 8710 3535
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-3am, Sunday 10am-12am
themarsdenbrewhouse.com.au

The Boatshed – La Perouse

This casual, modern eatery is perched right above the extremely calm Frenchmans Beach, making it the perfect destination for both a swim and a delicious meal.

The outdoor deck is large, sheltered and has a stunning view, so it’s guaranteed to make everyone in the party happy.

Read more about our visit to The Boatshed here.

The Boatshed La Perouse
1609 Anzac Parade, La Perouse
Phone: (02) 9661 1817
Hours: Tues-Fri 7am-3pm, Sat & Sun 7am-4pm
theboatshedlaperouse.com.au

Bodhi – Sydney CBD

Our long-time go-to restaurant for vegan yum cha, Bodhi is a family-owned restaurant located under St Mary’s Cathedral in the heart of the CBD. Bodhi is great for kids, with long tables underneath ancient Moreton bay fig trees, overlooking Cook and Philip Park . As well as offering a completely vegan menu, Bodhi also has great gluten-free and nut-free options. Kids will love trying to spear brightly-coloured dumplings with chopsticks and sampling the custard-filled pig buns for dessert.

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/

Armory Wharf Cafe – Newington

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

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.

Right next door to the cafe is the excellent Blaxland Riverside Park playground – you’ll have to pry the kids off the equipment to leave at the end of the day!

Read more about our experience at the Armory Wharf Cafe.

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 here.

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

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

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

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

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

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

The Picnic, Burwood: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Sydney

February 19, 2017 / Burwood, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Picnic at Burwood is a whimsical elevation of the humble outdoor dining experience. The outdoor cafe is located inside a pavilion in a park in Burwood, a few metres from a large, fenced in playground. The location is a big part of the appeal for families and has lead to its popularity among with parents who like great food, but who have small kids who like to swing on things.

Another drawcard is picnic-inspired design, with a white and yellow colour scheme and plenty of greenery through out the gazebo. It feels like al fresco dining in Europe, yet is a stones through from a huge Westfields, in the middle of suburban Sydney.

The Picnic doesn’t take bookings on weekends, so expect to wait around 30 minutes in peak times. Arrive early for a shorter wait time. We turned up at 10am, were told there would be a 15 minutes wait for our party of 3, but our table was ready five minutes later. Don’t be turned off by given a lengthy wait time – you’ll be put on their waitlist and send an SMS when your table is ready, meaning you can head up to the playground and let your kids run their steam off before their meal, which is a win in my book.

If you don’t fancy waiting at all, you can borrow a picnic rug and order food from the kiosk.

The menu is broken up into Breakfast (until 12pm) and Lunch (from 12pm). We are in time for brekkie and order the Pavlova Hotcake ($18.50, soft pancake with house made coconut crumble, berries, meringue, lemon curd, passionfruit cream and mango sorbet), Super Breakfast Bowl ($21.50, dukkah poached egg with quinoa tabouli, kale, avocado, shredded carrot, cucumber, pickled cabbage, edamame beans and sweet potato, served with organic sprouted bread), from the kids’ breakfast menu The Bear ($7, bear-shaped toast with banana and blueberries and your choice of peanut butter, butter, Nutella or Vegemite), Kids’ Size Classic Shake ($5, choice of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or banana).

The husband orders a coffee, which takes the longest because it’s an incredibly busy coffee day, apparently, our server apologises profusely. It’s no matter because our food arrives quickly and the coffee arrives as a dessert for hubby to happily sip as our daughter is entertained by colouring in.

This cafe is an Instagram dream with it’s beautifully presented dishes and bright natural light. Thankfully the meals are not just pretty – they’re delicious. The food vanishes and the plates are clean. It’s thoughtfully designed not just for a pretty photo but to satisfy their diners’ hunger, too.

The Picnic ticks every box for us, and is sure to become one of our favourite cafes in Sydney.

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

The Picnic Burwood
Burwood Rd & Park Ave,
Burwood NSW
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue-Sun 8am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
Get Directions

Flour Drum: Kid-Friendly Restaurants Newtown Sydney

May 11, 2016 / Inner West, Newtown, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

A few weeks ago we stopped by Flour Drum in Newtown when we were looking at properties in the area. We were desperate for food to eat on the go, and were beyond delighted with the food Flour Drumm put together for us, including an egg and bacon roll that Mr Adventure devoured, and a yogurt parfait that they custom made for me, despite not being on the menu. They were so friendly and the food so good that we had been keen to get back there for a full meal every since.

Flour Drum’s motto is seasonal, simple and fresh. The decor is rustic with a side of hip, and the ambiance is warm and welcoming.

The menu is painted all over the walls, and includes all-day-breakfast and daily specials. They have a wide variety of meals, including plenty for this vegetarian to choose from. While there isn’t a designated kid’s menu, the team are happy to whip something up for little ones – in our case, it was a kid’s serving of scrambled eggs and toast.

Out the back is a little garden area filled with things for tiny guests to discover such as a pond with gold fish, a dollhouse, and a barbie campervan when we visited. The dollhouse is particularly interesting as it’s mounted on the wall rather than being on the ground. I looked it up online afterwards and read that the dollhouse was installed to appease a possible ghost of a young girl who’s spirit was said to visit the cafe.

We didn’t encounter any ghosts (I guess the dollhouse works!) but did enjoy the warm staff and delicious, wholesome food. Flour Drum sources ingredients from local suppliers including fresh eggs delivered straight from the farm, daily baked hand-made rustic breads, boutique artisan coffee, milk delivered directly from the farm and housemade muesli, jams, preserves, peanut butters and sauces.

The cafe is very kid-friendly – as well as being accessible for strollers and wheelchairs with disabled access, a disabled wash room, high chairs for babies and nappy change facilities.

During our visit we enjoyed Free Range Eggs with sourdough ($9), avocado ($5) and tomato relish ($5). The lovely waitress was a bit concerned I wouldn’t like the relish so gave me fresh tomato too, bless! Mr Adventure Enjoyed house-made Lasagna and iceberg lettuce salad which I think it making a comeback as the new popular lettuce on the block (move over, kale!).

Oh, and don’t forget the babyccinos – they’re FREE OF CHARGE and come in the cutest little smiley mug with a marshmallow. You can’t get more welcoming than that.

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

Flour Drum
531 King St,
Newtown
Phone: (02) 9565 2822
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-4pm, Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

The Sweet Spot Waterloo: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Waterloo

March 6, 2016 / Inner South East, Sydney, Sydney Food, Waterloo / 0 comment

The once industrial inner east of Sydney has come a long way. It’s now full of cute little dining spots, including The Sweet Spot, a kid-friendly cafe in Waterloo that is famous for its delicious desserts.

We stumbled upon the patisserie in search of a sweet hit, and continued to return for its savoury dishes.

A regular order for us would be Corn Fritters (roast tomato, avocado, bacon, balsamic reduction, poached eggs & a slice of sourdough, $15) where I swap the bacon for haloumi, kids’ chocolate milkshake, Pancakes ($12) and the Big Breakfast (chorizo, spinach, mushrooms, bacon, roast tomato and 2 eggs, $18).

We found the food very reasonably priced, big portions, and absolutely delicious. We could easily very happily share two meals, but it’s all so delicious we would end up ordering one dish each, then stuffing ourselves to the brim.

While there is nothing particularly kid-friendly about the cafe, we found the open air seating, spaciousness and attitude of the staff to make the patisserie very family-friendly. There is plenty of room for strollers to fit next to tables, and if little ones need to be strolled, there is a long ramp that leads down out of the cafe where babies can be calmed down or walked around until they’re able to return to the cafe. It’s an easy place to escape from other diners if your kids aren’t having a good day out.

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

The Sweet Spot Waterloo
Shop 1, 2 Allen Street,
Waterloo NSW 2015
Phone: (02) 9690 0340
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3:30pm Sat&Sun 8am-3:30pm
Get Directions

Marionette on Booth & Gladstone Park: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Balmain

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

This tiny little place, tucked away from busy Darling street, is one of the most kid-friendly cafes in Balmain. While their main game is coffee (check out their website, The Little Marionette for more details about their roasting business), they also have fantastic food and friendly, accomodating staff.

We noticed on our visit that most families were getting their coffee and food to go, and enjoying it in Gladstone Park across the road. We chose to dine in and enjoyed the surprisingly quiet dining area inside.

It’s pretty obvious that families are among the prime visitors to this little cafe from the outside. They have set up a challkboard wall and at any time of day you’ll see either kids creating a masterpiece on the wall and pavement, or evidence of the mini Picasso who had dined there perviously. It’s a genius move really, as parents can order their coffee or food to go while kids are happily occupied.

We ordered an In House Bircher Museli (with yoghurt and honey, small $7), pot of English Breakfast organic tea ($4), Breakfast Sandwich (fried eggs, bacon, spinach, fresh tomato and avocado topped with relish on Turkish toast, $12), a kid’s toasted Cheese Sandwich ($4), Babyccino ($1), flat white ($4).

The babyccino was a hit, with the takeaway cup and marshmallow perched on the straw. My bircher was delicious – very generous serve for a “small” size. Alec said repeatedly how delicious his sandwich was, so I think we have found our new regular cafe in Balmain.

Across the road from Marionette on Booth is Gladstone Park, where you will find large grassed areas under cover of trees, a large playground with climbing structures for kids of a wide age range, basketball courts and bathrooms.

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

Black Star Pastry and Cafe
1A Booth St,
Balmain NSW 2041
Phone: 0402 434 597
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30am-4pm, Sat 7am-4pm, Sun 8am-4pm
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Tintos: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Balmain, Sydney

January 30, 2016 / Balmain, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 5 Comments

I do love trying new cafes. This week I stumbled upon Tintos in Balmain – a tiny little hole in the wall that opens up into a reasonably-sized cafe, right off Darling Street. I admit I was seduced by the cronuts in the window …

Lucky I was, as this little cafe is an absolute gem. As we sat down at cable reel that was doubling as a table, I noticed a few big baskets of toys and colouring in supplies. What an amazing find! Cheese was entertained for our entire stay and we had to pry her away from the toys when it was time to leave.

We ordered a light meal – two Avocado Toasts ($11), mine with Haloumi ($5) and Alec’s with a Poached Egg ($3) and Bacon ($4). They were just perfect.

Soy and lindseed bread with smashed avocado in olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon. Just devine.

Cheese devoured a giant Mixed Berry Smoothie ($7.5).

My English Breakfast tea ($4) was by Tea Craft and served in a pot so big I got several cups out of it. Tintos prides itself on having excellent coffee, and it’s always good to be able to try and agree that they deliver what they promise on.

Our table was right next to a giant map that covered most of one wall. On the map were blu-tacked coins placed there, I assumed, by visitors from all over the world. I really enjoyed seeing where people had come from to get to this little cafe in Balmain.

Tintos is a fantastic little cafe that we will be going back to soon, to try more dishes off the menu.

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

Tintos
306 Darling St,
Balmain NSW 2041
Phone: (02) 9810 2962
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 6am-5pm, Sun 7:30-5pm
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Barangaroo: The Best of Sydney For Families

January 17, 2016 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

Barangaroo Reserve is Sydney’s newest park, located on the north-western tip of Sydney’s Central Business District. What was once a flat strip of concrete that was used as a container wharf has been transformed into a six-hectare waterfront parkland on Sydney Harbour, with 6,500 sandstone blocks placed along the foreshore and 75,000 100% native trees, shrubs and plants.

Underneath the reserve is a giant new cultural space called the Cutaway, two levels of car park and two of Australia’s biggest water tanks (so Barangaroo Reserve can be a self-watering park).

The new reserve is named after an important Aboriginal women at the time of early colonial settlement, Barangaroo. One of her husbands was Bennelong, after whom Bennelong Point (where the Sydney Opera House sits) was named. The Barangaroo precinct was use for fishing and hunting by the Gadigal people, the Traditional Owners of the Sydney city region.

While the park is not yet complete, visitors can enjoy the first two sections of the Wulugul Walk that are open to the public. Wulugal is the local indigenous word for kingfish, a fish with a golden band on its green-blue skin – similar to the appearance of the new foreshore at Barangaroo.

When the Barangaroo precinct is completed in 2022, the Wulugul Walk will run for the entire 2kms of foreshore from Walsh bay to Darling Harbour. At the moment, the walk has two sections open to the public – Barangaroo Reserve at the north of the precinct and a second section in Barangaroo South linking up to King Street Wharf.

With the opening of the reserve, this particular part of Sydney’s waterfront district is open to the public for the first time in over 100 years.

The entire of Barangaroo is very accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. It really is the perfect stress-free outing for families with elevators, gently sloping paths from top to bottom, plus clean bathrooms that have baby changing facilities.

A visit to Barangaroo to take a walk or picnic is already a great day out, but if you visit over the next week you’ll have a chance to experience the Sydney Festival’s Ephemeral City in the Cutaway. French artist Olivier Grossetête is overseeing the construction of a city of boxes, built by volunteers of all ages, using a whopping 9,000 boxes – or more than 10 tonnes of cardboard. The buildings will be demolished on Australia Day, January 26, so get in and stick together a box or two before they go.

We had a fantastic time at the BOXWARS section of the city, where kids can build their own tiny city out of cardboard.

You can see our little homes above!

Older kids and adults will also enjoy the free Flying Fox at ‘The Ephemeral City’. Zip-line over the box city and, upon landing, grab a roll of sticky tape and get building.

Open: 8–24 January, 2pm–8pm (closed Mondays), at The Cutaway. Price: Free.
Minimum weight requirement for the Flying Fox is 30kg.

Barangaroo
Getting there: Walk The most enjoyable way of arriving on foot is from Circular Quay. The direct route is to walk through the Argyle Cut and along Argyle Street to the reserve entrance at Munn Street Reserve (1.2km).

Wilson Parking operates a public car park at Barangaroo Reserve between 6am – midnight, 7 days per week.

Creperie Suzette: Kid-Friendly Cafes, The Rocks, Sydney

January 16, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food, The Rocks / 0 comment

This little creperie is a tiny piece of France tucked away in the historic Rocks area of Sydney. In an area chock full of tourist traps, Creperie Suzette brings a welcome touch of French soul food to the area – a welcome respite for visitors to the area who want top notch food without paying exorbitant prices.

We very much enjoyed our crepes from Creperie Suzette. During a trip to France many years back we loved the traditional French style savoury crepes, so it was wonderful to dine on flavoursome crepes that brought back memories of such a wonderful trip to the little town of Giverny, which is where we sampled French crepes for the first time.

We enjoyed: La Biquette (Goats Cheese, Fresh Pesto, Vine Ripened Tomatoes and Rocket
$12), La Tasmanienne (Smocked Tasmanian Salmon, Capers, Cream Fraiche and Fresh Dill $13) and La Fraise (Fresh Strawberries, Dark Chocolate Sauce, Double Cream and Walnuts $12).

Since our strawberry crepe was for Cheese, we requested it minus the chocolaye and walnuts, and they very kindly reduced the price for us to $10, as well as custom making it very happily.

When you’re dining with small kids, it’s really appreciated when cafes are happy to make small changes to menu items to accommodate little fussy diners. It’s tiny details like making families feel like helping them is no problem that guarantees repeat customers and word of mouth recommendations.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal. Bring an umbrella stroller if possible.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Creperie Suzette
34 Harrington St,
The Rocks, Sydney
Phone: (02) 8220 9999
Prices: $
Hours: Sunday to Monday 7.30am-3.30pm
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Pirate Fun at the Australian National Maritime Museum

January 12, 2016 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

Swashbuckling fun for the whole family awaits at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Confession: I’ve never been to this museum before. I thought Cheese was way too young for it and as she’d showed zero interest in boats, didn’t think we’d be visiting till she was much older.

I’m so glad we dropped by during the school holidays however, as their various pirate exhibition and themed activities were an incredible hit with my four-year-old.

Kids on Deck: Patch-eyed Pirates
The entrance to this activity space is outside the main museum so we almost missed it completely. I’m so glad we didn’t, as it’s a fantastic area for kids aged 4-12. Kids can get busy crafting pirate ships, dressing up, building with Lego, reading pirate-themed books, playing games and making temporary tattoos.

Daily, 27 December 2015–25 January 2016
Times: 10am–4pm (hourly sessions)
Ages: 4–12
Cost: Entry with any paid ticket

Family Theatre Show: Calico Jack and the Pirate Cat
We spent a lot of time lining up to get into the theatre, and then waiting for the show to start. Possibly because we were there during school holidays, half the theatre was already filled with kids from daycares when we went in, meaning there weren’t enough seats for everyone. Lesson learned: line up even earlier if we want a seat! The show was a lot of fun, and our two four-year-olds and one 2-year-old were mesmerised the entire time by this lively and interactive theatre show.
Daily except Saturdays, 3–24 January 2016
Times: 11.30am and 2pm
Ages: 4–12 and adults

Horrible Histories: Pirates The Exhibition
The main attraction this school holiday is the extremely well done Horrible Histories: Pirates The Exhibition. The brand-new exhibition is very hands on and interactive, filled with a mix of digital and manual activities for kids, ranging from knot-tying to discovering treasure, firing cannons (the most popular area in the exhibit) and “squishing” projected rats. Cheese could have squished rats all. day. long.

The exhibit is based on the bestselling Horrible Histories series which Cheese is too young for, but that didn’t make any difference to her enjoyment of of the exhibit.

There was just so much for kids to do, all packed into the one room, it was quite impressive. Particularly how the exhibit had been designed to appeal to kids of a wide variety of ages. Since I was with a very active four-year-old we missed all the interesting info about the history of pirates, the ships they sailed and the rules they lived by. Instead we fired canons, stuck giant magnets on walls and took funny pirate pictures of each other.

At the end of the exhibit is the Passenger Theatrette, which shows episodes of Horrible Histories from 2:30pm daily. A perfect way to wind down after the frenetic activity of the Pirate Exhibition.

Daily until 27th April, 2016
Adult $20, kids 4-15 $12, under 4 is free.

We didn’t even get to explore all of the amazing things for kids to do at the museum. Next time we will try the Under 5s Tour, which promises stories, songs and dancing through the galleries, and the Cabinet of Curiosities, where visitors can touch objects like weapons and navigational tools related pirates.

There’s no eating inside the museum, but you only need to pop outside to the adorable Yot’s Cafe for waterfront dining with a pirate theme.

Added bonus – toys for kids to play with an even a little kiddie-sized table and chairs to sit at.

Australian National Maritime Museum
2 Murray St, Sydney NSW
Open daily except Christmas Day
Hours: 9:30am-5pm (6pm in Jan)
Prices: Permanent galleries are free but still require a ticket to view them.
Big Ticket (Access to everything open on the day of visit including the ships), Adult $30, kids 4-15 $18, under 4 is free
Special Exhibitions Ticket (Access to major temporary exhibitions such as Pirates) Adult $20, kids 4-15 $12, under 4 is free.
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