Five of the Best child-friendly cafes

Here are five cafes where parents can take their little ones, relax, feel comfortable and welcome, and have someone look after the parents for a change.

Rivulet Cafe barista and cafe manager Charlotte Smith serves a babycino and banana bread in the outdoor play area. Picture: PATRICK GEE

TAKING babies or young children out for breakfast or lunch can be a daunting experience for parents for many reasons. Here are five cafes where parents can take their little ones, relax, feel comfortable and welcome, and have someone look after the parents for a change.

Rivulet Cafe, 64 Anglesea St, South Hobart

The interior of this cafe by South Hobart’s trickling rivulet is open and spacious with plenty of space for prams. Outside is a large, fully-fenced area with plenty of play equipment, and paths for scooters, trikes and other toddler transport. The welcoming staff serve affordable nibbles and drinks inside and out. On the menu are toasties ($5.50), babycinos ($1), banana bread ($4.50) and milkshakes ($2.50 sml, $3.50 medium, $4.50 large). Playgroups are held in the complex from Monday to Wednesday.

Rivulet Cafe barista and cafe manager Charlotte Smith serves a babycino and banana bread in the outdoor play area. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Spencer’s Hobart, 145A East Derwent Hwy, Lindisfarne

When the owners first conceptualised their popular Lindisfarne eaterie, they wanted it to be a place where anyone could feel comfortable. There is plenty of space for prams and co-owner Carly Martin says mums need not feel be nervous breastfeeding or if their babies cry. A favourite dish for children is the kid’s plate ($9). It includes fruit, sandwiches, jelly beans and a fruit juice or babycino. There are also plenty of pencil and paper for colouring-in.

RELATED: FIVE OF THE BEST DOG-FRIENDLY CAFES

Smolt Kitchen, 107 — 109 Hill St, West Hobart

The interior here is an indestructible open space with board games, a box of books, a much loved Astro Boy figurine and a kid-friendly menu. The books are exchangeable so children can take home a book and return another the next time they are there. Some of the children’s food favourites are the mini pizza, which changes every day between crowd pleasers like margherita, salami and Hawaiian ($9.50). Doughnuts are $4.90 and milkshakes are $4.50 and everything is made fresh on site.

Red Square Cafe, 66 Kennedy Dr, Cambridge

Take a break from the stress of shopping with kids and give your kids a break from the tedium of shopping for grown up stuff. Red Square Cafe in the Cambridge Centre car park is the perfect space for families to take a break. There are two separate, fully-secure play areas — one for older children and one for toddlers. They are gated and sheltered, with outdoor heaters. Favourites on the children’s menu include hot cakes ($8), kid’s fish and chips ($9.50) and the kid’s parmy and chips ($12.50).

Tailrace Cafe, 1 Waterfront Drive, Riverside

What says kid-friendly more than Kid’s Paradise? Playgroups are held at the kid-centric complex just outside Launceston, and the playgournd is enormous with mazes, interactive rooms, multi-level play equipment, a jumping castle, a ball pit, slides, games and a baby room. The cafe has an extensive kid-friendly menu with fun and affordable kids meals, like soft boiled eggs with soldiers ($3.90), the mini pizza ($8) and Pirate Pete’s Chicken Tenders and Chips ($8).

MORE FIVE OF THE BEST:

ICE CREAM SUNDAES | SUMMER COCKTAILS | PUDDINGS

SUMMER SMOOTHIES | WRAPS | RICE PAPER ROLLS