I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being stuck inside the house with the children for too long. We’d much rather be outside (weather permitting!) and going on adventures. Of course, most of the time, our adventures usually end up with us “needing” to have a drink and something to eat at the many Cafes in Wellington.
You know what it’s like…“Mum, we’re starving”, etc., etc., even though I swear they only had something to eat 10 minutes ago.
Anyway, I’m digressing.
The thought of going to cafés in wellington with young children can be daunting and fill even the most confident mum with dread.
We all know that not all cafés are the same, and there are definitely some that are more kid friendly than others.
So, if you are looking for a kid friendly café in or around Wellington, I’m taking some of the guesswork out of it for you!
Whether you are looking for somewhere with activities to keep your littles occupied or just somewhere good to eat, I think these cafés (in no particular order) are worth a visit…
1. Picnic Cafe
Located beside Begonia House in Wellington’s Botanic Garden, you can enjoy the ever-changing beauty of the gardens that surround the café while you sip your coffee and tuck into something scrummy.
There is a good range of menu options, including a reasonably priced kid’s menu, and the “Seasonal Specials” change weekly. It’s true to say that with Picnic being set in such a beautiful environment, it makes the delicious food taste even better!
Widely commended for being friendly and helpful, the staff offer great service with a smile and regularly go the extra mile for their customers.
Picnic is described as very child friendly, and provides paper and colouring pens to keep your little ones busy during your visit at this Wellington cafe.
Begonia House, Rose Garden 101 Glenmore Street, Thorndon
2. Chocolate Fish Cafe
Casual and quirky, this popular café is situated in the perfect waterfront spot allowing you to appreciate the wonderful views of Wellington harbour while the kids play happily in the amazing play area.
Renowned for its great atmosphere, friendly and efficient staff ensure the café in Wellington runs well even during very busy times.
The Chocolate Fish Café offers gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options and has a dedicated kid’s menu. The food here has been pronounced “hearty and tasty” and “fresh and delicious”.
Described as “super family friendly” and “excellent place for kids”, the Chocolate Fish café has an awesome outdoor play area. There are bikes, trikes, scooters, and carts for the kids to play with, and along with climbing toys, a playhouse, and a trampoline. With loads of outdoor space this café has so much to offer kids, particularly those who can’t sit still!
Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating means it doesn’t really matter what the weather is like, you can still enjoy your time here.
The Chocolate Fish Café also supports the Again Again stainless steel, reusable coffee cup system.
100 Shelly Bay Road, Miramar
3. Beach Babylon – Cafes Wellington
A retro café/restaurant situated in an awesome location opposite the beach. Beach Babylon is a very busy café in Wellington, for good reason, so you may have to wait to be seated at times. To reduce the wait, however, the Beach Babylon website allows you to book a table in advance.
The very friendly and welcoming staff offer really great service, and this, along with the outstanding food on offer, makes it easy to see why Beach Babylon is a popular choice.
There are great counter food options as well as a full menu to choose from, and a good range of veggie options are included. Other dietary requirements such as vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free can be catered for upon request. There is an awesome kid’s menu offering plenty of choice, and prices are reasonable for the quality of food served.
This cafe is described by many as very child friendly and has toys to entertain your little ones.
Beach Babylon even offers a menu for dogs, in case you’d like to include your four-legged baby in your outing!
Ground Floor, 232 Oriental Parade, Oriental Bay
4. Scorch O Rama
A family favourite with many, Scorch O Rama is genuinely kid friendly. Situated across the road from Scorching Bay beach, this really is a fabulous location in which to enjoy your caffeine fix.
The café offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and benefits from a covered conservatory seating area, where you can keep out of the wind if the weather is less than perfect.
Widely acclaimed for the wonderful service provided by the friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff, the flavourful food is similarly impressive. Quirkily written, the menu offers gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. There are daily specials to choose from, and a great kid’s menu with all the usual favourites.
Scorch O Rama even has a resident cat who comes in for a mooch about so, if you are cat crazy like me, it’s definitely worth a visit!
497 Karaka Bay Road, Karaka Bays
5. Seashore Cabaret – Wellington Cafe
A hot spot for locals, this amazing café has a wonderful view overlooking Petone beach. There’s a fantastic, family friendly atmosphere, with heaps to keep the kids entertained including pinball games and carnival mirrors.
Be warned, access is via a flight of steps so this might make it not suitable for everyone, however, once inside the layout is very spacious, and there are so many cool things to look at that the quirky décor will keep you entertained if you don’t manage to get an ocean view seat.
Service is professional and efficient, and the staff are super friendly.
Not a huge menu but what food they do serve comes in good sized portions and tastes amazing. They have a dedicated kid’s menu and look out for the huge choice of milkshake flavours!
160 The Esplanade, Petone
www.facebook.com/SeashoreCabaret
6. Buzz Café Restaurant
Nice little coffee shop with a “buzz”. Buzz serves delicious and affordable food that will keep you wanting to come back for more.
The excellent customer service from the friendly and accommodating staff means you always feel warmly welcomed and valued as a customer. It’s said to feel like dining with old family friends when you visit Buzz, and they always make the kids feel special.
Buzz has an extensive menu and serves very generous portions. The cabinet selection (and the cake in particular) is fantastic, and all the food is well presented. There’s also a good-looking kid’s menu.
Activities and games on the tables help to keep the kids (and you!) occupied. It’s a fun place to visit with family and friends.
101 High Street, Lower Hutt
7. Sweet Vanilla Kitchen
A nice little café in Wellington, little being the operative word. Sweet Vanilla Kitchen is quite a small, intimate place so it can be a bit tight on space at busy times, and not ideal if your kids aren’t happy sitting. However, it serves a great variety of homemade food, and the toy box is full to the max, so it is definitely worth a visit.
The menu changes with the seasons, and the cabinet is always full of delicious treats. The selection of desserts is said to be “mind-blowing!”. There are plenty of gluten-free choices and a good range of Keto food. Other dietary requirements are also catered for. There are affordable kid’s meal options, portions are generous and overall, the food is delicious.
Sweet Vanilla Kitchen offers amazing customer service, and the staff are always friendly, no matter how busy they are. If you are going to visit, it’s definitely worth booking in advance as tables fill up quickly.
49 Pretoria Street, Lower Hutt
www.facebook.com/Sweet-Vanilla-Kitchen
8. Fellow café
Located in Riddiford Gardens, Fellow café is the perfect place to enjoy some tasty treats. There’s great seating with a lovely view of the gardens, and it’s family friendly. There’s lots of space in which to eat and there’s a place where the kids can play.
This café offers delicious food, which is beautifully presented. There are so many vegan options, especially in the cabinet, that you’ll be spoilt for choice.
The service is great, and the super friendly staff always seem happy to see you.
Another bonus is that Fellow café values sustainability so you can use your own cup and containers if you choose to. However, if you do need to use one of their takeaway containers, they are not plastic.
2 Queens Drive, Lower Hutt
9.The Blue Belle Café
A friendly, suburban café in the heart of the Island Bay shops, you’ll enjoy a good atmosphere at the Blue Belle Café.
Famous for their homemade pies, the wonderful selection at the Blue Belle café is noteworthy. There’s a good range of cabinet food and a classic menu of brunch/lunch meals with good portion sizes. There are plenty of vegetarian options and the range of food for kid’s means even fussy children will find something they think is delicious. Really well-priced food means your visit won’t break the bank.
142 The Parade, Island Bay
www.facebook.com/TheBlueBelleCafe
10. Joe’s Garage Wellington
If you are wanting more of a typical burger, pizza, or fish-and-chips kind of place then Joe’s Garage might be just what you are looking for. This wonderful café offers great food and drinks for both kids and grown-ups alike.
The warm and friendly staff are great with kids, and provide colouring in to keep them busy. At Joe’s Garage they use vintage toy trucks as cutlery holders and there’s a chest of old toys for the kids to play with.
5 Troy Street, Te Aro
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