This terrific list of country cafes, comes from the lovely Jolie at Hey Bambini. At the end of each listing you can find a link to her website where you will find a full review of the kid friendly country cafe!
1. Yarra Glen Grand – 19 Bell St Yarra Glen
Now for the little tackers this place is has it all. Let’s start with the kidís food. For a small price of $7 kids can order “The Tuckerbox”. Choices include pastas, crumbed chicken or the sausages; each tuckerbox comes with fruit juice and jelly cup. The meals were very much well proportioned and healthy; my bubba loved the sausages with vegies!
After the kids have devoured their meals they can play in the enclosed play corner complete with cubby, mini kitchen and an assortment of toys and blocks.
(Highchair – Change Table – Play Area – Kids Menu) Full Review.
2. Spice Island – Phillip Island Rd Churchill Island
Spice Island cafe is very child friendly with highchairs, babycinos and changing facilities available. If lunch is not your thing they also do a great little brekkie with all your usual treats and eats. Once you’ve finished your meal you can take the kids out to meet the farm animals complete with a baby animal petting nursery. Now if that’s not good bribery to eat your greens l don’t know what else is!
(Highchair – Change Table – Play Area – Animal Farm – Babycino) Full Review
3. Courthouse Hotel – 63 Brooke St Smythesdale
Set in Smythesdale the Courthouse Hotel (which may l add the only decent pub for miles) offers breakfast on the weekend and delicious lunches and dinner daily. With a recent renovation this place has everything for the family Outdoor playground, changing facilities and kids menu are just a taste of what’s on offer for the family. With room to move even the biggest of prams you will want to stay and forget about your road trip.
Sit by the cosy fire in winter and play board games or soak up the summer sun in the beer garden. Bookings are essential on the weekend – believe it or not – because the crowds come in droves and why wouldn’t they? The Court House hotel has such a great reputation for good food, good service and very kid friendly. Mark this town on your map next time you hit the road.
(Highchair – Changing facilities – enclosed Playground – Board games – kids menu) Full Review.
4. Caldermeade Farm – 4385 South Gippsland Highway Caldermeade
The Farm is a fabulous place to take the family as Caldermeade has a little bit of everything to keep everyone happy. The farm is home to over 300 dairy cows which are milked daily. The kids can watch from a special viewing deck in the barn style shed. After the cows have been milked then the kids can pop down to the baby animal nursery where they can interact with a variety of animals in a safe environment. My bubba was delighted to play with the baby goats and was very upset when we had to leave.
When the family is finished playing with all the animals and worked up an appetite you can pop into the fabulous country style cafe which serves a variety of breakfast and lunch meals from homemade cakes, fresh dairy milkshakes and Devonshire teas. For the kids they have a superb children’s menu which caters for breakfast or lunch. Kids can have mini milkshakes, pancakes, homemade pies and fresh dairy ice creams.
(Highchair – Change Table – Play Area – Baby Animals – Babycino) Full Review
5. Immerse Olinda – 17-19 Olinda-Monbulk Rd Olinda
Set in the quaint town of Olinda, Immerse cafe offers everything from breakfast to dinner. With loads of room to move in the restaurant you also have the option to sun yourself in the private courtyard. For your tummies they have tasting plates, decadent cakes and their own cellar door wine. Good changing facilities with highchair available and did l mention plenty of room to move!
(Highchair – Change Table – Room to move the pram – Wine for mum!) Full Review.
6. Royal Mail – Parker St Dunkeld
The vibe from staff was friendly and polite and although l sensed that they weren’t wrapped having a small child in the dining room, nonetheless they made us feel welcome. A highchair was waiting at the table for my son and the waiter spoke to me about organising a small meal for him but only on request – it’s not listed on the menu, but they are more than happy to cater for children.
Well l must say my son’s meal was just about as impressive as ours. On the plate sat a succulent piece of fish, accompanied with a delightful array of seasonal vegies that had been roasted to perfection – not an oil soaked chip in sight! The other child friendly touch was the fold down change table in the disabled toilets – so they are obviously used to the odd tiny diner here and there.
(Highchair – Kids Menu – Change Table) Full Review.
7. Such N Such – 811 Sturt St Ballarat
Not only can you fill your tummy while the kids play in the indoor cubby house you can have a bit of retail therapy afterwards. Beautiful soaps, delightful toys, stylish home wares and some funky designer clothing are just a snap shot of what’s on offer. Now let’s get back to the kids and that cubby house. It has to be the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. Cushions and low tables are located inside with a variety of toys and trinkets to play with. Also the walls are colourfully painted with bright characters bursting from the walls, making it just a little bit magical.
(Highchair – Change Table – Play Area – Babycino) Full Review
8. The Zoo – 23 High St Drysdale
If you are ever heading to sunny Drysdale for a visit The Zoo café is worth a stopover. Set on the main street in town this converted house is the perfect environment for mums and bubs. It’s known to all the local mothers groups, making it one of the best places in town to take the little ones.
Offering a wide selection of hot and cold food this café is a lovely retreat. Toilets are standard with no changing facilities. But don’t let that hold you back. The café is easy to get around in with a pram plus indoor/outdoor sitting available. With homemade cooking and friendly staff you’ll want to stay for breakfast and lunch. The garden is lovely for older children to roam while the younger ones can warm by the inside fire with mum.
(Highchair – Books to read with pencils and paper – Kids menu – room to move the pram) Full Review.
9. Silverleaves Cafe – 1 Honeysuckle Grove Silverleaves – Phillip Island
Silverleaves has a little something for everyone, whether you’re up for a hearty country breakfast, light lunch or a divine cheese platter served with local wines. The staff are warm and welcoming and the cafe has a variety of seating options from an enclosed courtyard to cosy tables inside. There is room to move the pram inside and the enclosed courtyard is perfect to keep an eye on runaway toddlers.
To fill little tummies Silverleaves has a small children’s breakfast menu and a rather large children’s lunch menu, with options such as toasties, fresh sandwiches and homemade sausage rolls. For the sweet tooths and well behaved children Silverleaves have banana bread, ice cream with sprinkles and of course a great little babycino complete with marshmallows.
(Highchair – Babycino – Kids Menu – Room to move the Pram – Play Area: 5 min walk to beach) Full Review
10. The Flying Teapot- 111 Inglis St Ballan
The Flying Teapot has been the first real cafe that the town has ever had and I must say it’s really taken off. Most weekends it’s bustling with locals and tourist and during the week filled with local mums. With great food on offer and loads of vintage treasures to rummage through inside – which are also for sale, it’s definitely worth a stopover.
The kids can play in the delightful front garden while you enjoy your country morning tea. Great little change table available with ample room to move the dreaded pram inside. Put this magical little cafe on your itinerary.
(Highchair – Babycino – Change Table – Room to move the pram – Play Area: FRONT GARDEN) Full Review.
Do you have a favourite country cafe that is kid friendly? Feel free to share it in the comments!