The best kid-friendly cafes on the Mornington Peninsula

If you’re a parent then it’s likely you’ve exhausted all your local coffee haunts. So here’s a list of some of the best places to have a hot cuppa while the kids run wild.

Lucy Callander

3 min read

January 1, 2019 - 12:00AM

Mornington Peninsula Leader

Three-year-old Eddie with some of the milkshakes at Sweet Espresso. Picture: Wayne Taylor

South East

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From messy sheds and sand pits to mini kitchens and high teas for children, Melbourne’s kid-friendly cafes go well beyond the baby chino.

One of the most popular places for a coffee play date on the Mornington Peninsula is The Hungry Peacock in Tyabb.

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The venue changed hands in 2018 with the new owners tinkering with the menu and adding a kids eat free deal on Thursdays.

Hannah Rosenbroc — who bought the business with her husband and parents — said the new menu appealed to all ages with house made granola and open breakfast tortilla for brunch fans, loaded nachos for hungry lunch-goers and banoffles for the sweet tooths.

The venue has a large, well-fenced play area at the front and plenty of space indoors.

Next door to the cafe is The Busy Peacock offering all the messy things kids love and parents hate cleaning up.

There’s painting, water play and sensory fun with children encouraged to explore and

experiment with different textures and processes.

The Hungry Peacock is one of Melbourne's favourite kid friendly cafes. Picture: Wayne Taylor

The Busy Peacock is now open Tuesday to Sunday with a drop-in session on Wednesdays where families can attend anytime after 9.30am until noon without booking.

And on Tuesday, January 8 all Busy Peacock sessions will be free to celebrate the return of cheap Tuesdays.

Families that enjoy The Hungry Peacock will love the recent changes to North East Precinct.

The boutique espresso bar and eatery in Bentleigh East has launched a kids area.

The cafe’s roasting area has been converted into a play zone so families can enjoy a meal while their kids entertain themselves with toys and colouring.

There is no charge to use the area, but families are asked to tidy up before they leave.

At Mentone’s Sweet Espresso it’s the crazy shakes that bring the kids to the table.

Loaded with fairy floss, chocolate chip cookies, popcorn and lollipops, the decadent drinks are hugely popular with young and old.

Co-owner Evan Li said the cafe was one of the first in the area to embrace the trend, which dominated social media feeds in 2018.

It’s the new kid on the block, but Royce and Cole can only get bigger, especially as the weather gets warmer.

The Ormond cafe describes itself as a “new school institute specialising in coffee and community”.

The courtyard for kids is complete with a kitchen, blackboard and sandpit and is sure to keep your kids busy enough for you to enjoy a hot beverage in peace.

With plenty of room to burn off steam outside and a kids menu to tempt the fussiest of eaters McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery Cafe in Langwarrin is the perfect option for families.

The outdoor sculpture trail is a great way to shoe horn a little culture into the holidays, and it’s free.

Surrounded by beautiful gardens and close to the playground, the historic Homestead Cafe at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick is a unique dining experience for all ages.

There is a playground on site and the cafe serves Kids High Tea on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

KID-FRIENDLY CAFES

The Stables of Como

Cnr Williams Rd and Lechlade Ave, South Yarra

thestablesofcomo.com.au

Hobba

428 Malvern Rd, Prahran

hobba.com.au

Cowderoy’s Dairy

14 Cowderoy St, St Kilda West

facebook.com/cowderoysdairy/

Royce and Cole