MELT :: Chocolate Festival :: Melbourne

Hands up who loves chocolate? Hands up whose kids love chocolate?

If the answer is ‘yes’ then I may have just the thing to brighten a cold Melbourne Sunday.

The Immigration Museum is holding a chocolate festival on Sunday May 26 from 11am to 4pm, called Melt.

This festival is part of the ongoing ‘Sweets’ exhibition, exploring the role of sweets in different cultures.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the preview last night and taste some of the amazing chocolates that will be on offer at the festival. 

We got to try some beautiful Belgian truffles, made by the very talented Stefaan Van Numen; Brazilian Brigadieros, truffles made with white, milk or dark chocolate and condensed milk; Mexican Champurrado or hot chocolate, spiced with vanilla, cinnamon and orange blossom, with conchas for dipping. I was in heaven!

We even got to decorate a Mexican Day of the Dead chocolate skull with lollies and icing. So much fun!

The festival will have food stalls, workshops, music, entertainment and lots of activities for the kids. Check out the Immigration Museum website for more details.

See you there for some chocolately fun!

Where: Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders Street Melbourne
When:  Sunday May 26, 11am to 4pm
Cost:  $10 adults, concession and children FREE


**Huge thanks to Mel for attending this event on behalf of Hey Bambini, also another "shout-out" thanks to the Immigration Museum for having us! xx**

City Eats for Little Peeps

You know the CBD isn’t just for men in slick suits and geeky students. For us a trip into the city means another fast paced adventure for Mr 4 and Mr 2. Sky scrapers, musical busker’s, street sweepers, graffiti art work, the dirty Yarra River, unusual looking folk and colourful window displays is just a snap shot of what the boys and l get to experience. For us it also means seeking out toilets and kid friendly eats, which is another whole challenge in itself.

So without further ado here is a list of cafes and restaurants we’ve researched, tested and tried that cater for families and kids. From the CBD to South Bank and South Wharf we’ve uncovered some cool hip spots that are sure to please you and your tiny diners.




 
Little Miss Fancy Pants :: Fancy Eats for Little Peeps

Akachochin – South Wharf

Change Table – High Chair – Some Room for Prams - Booking Requirements  
Fancy Japanese by the water. Best save this spot for when your baby is in arms.

Café Vue Cafe – Collins St
Kids Menu Only
Fancy eats for fancy peeps. Enjoy a slice of the Vue de Monde action without the price tag. This casual café serves up fancy chicken sausage rolls, egg soldiers, nutella with crepes and decadent cakes for the most discerning mini foodie.

The Langham – South Bank
A La Carte Eats for Kid – High Chairs – Change Table – Special Home-Made Baby Puree to order.
The Langham also do Special Themed afternoon tea events for kids, from Peter Pan to Barbie and Disney Princess's on show this spot is a MUST for your little foodie. See HERE for more info.

 

 

Casual Café Style Dining

Café Baci – South Bank
Kids Menu – High Chair – Change Table
No fuss family eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner - they even have kids milkshakes!

Trunk Diner - CBD
High Chairs – Crayons and Paper – Room for Pram - Bookings Essential for Main Restaurant
This upbeat dining venue is tip top for a casual lunch or dinner with the wee ones, all you have to do is come down and grab a table.

Va Bene - Docklands
Kids Menu - High Chairs
This riverside location is top notch for views,  Italian style eats and service.
 

 

The Good Old Family Favourites

 

La Porchetta - North Melbourne

High Chairs – Kids Pizza and Pasta - Next to the Queen Victoria Market
Relaxed atmosphere with tradition Italian eats, which is well priced and boasts a family vibe.

Pancake Parlour - Bourke St and Melbourne Central

Children’s Tea Party Menu – Kids Menu – High Chairs

This fun, loud, familiar family favourite has a well known reputation and serves breakfast, lunch or dinner. Yep we love a good old fashioned pancake with a twist.
 

 

 

Pub Style Dining

The Boatbuilders Yard – South Wharf

High Chairs – Kids Menu – Change Table – Sandpit with Spades – Crayons and Paper – Room for Prams

Gasolina – South Wharf

High Chairs – Kids Menu on request kids pizza and pasta – Colouring In Placemat

P.S If Dad loves Motorbikes then THIS is the place to take him!

Melbourne Public – South Wharf
High Chairs – Room for the Prams – Bookings recommended for large group.
Great spot for people watching and to grab some bar style snacks with the wee ones. Our kids were free to move around and play outside while we had a cheeky beer on the footpath style seating.
 

 

Asian Style Eats

Bang Pop – South Wharf

High Chairs – Change Table – Room for Prams

Casual Asian eats complete with a bar made from Lego, which is just for looking unfortunately. Mr 4 not happy

 

Wagamama - South Gate - CDB
High Chairs - Kids Eat FREE - Find our detailed Review HERE
Cheap Asian eats are my favourite! Grab some spring rolls, dim sum, a bowl of noodles or a stir-fry. There are LOADS of fun family friendly dishes to eat, and hey the kids eat FREE - need l say more!

Find More Family Friendly Yum Cha Hot Spots in China Town and the CBD ::  HERE

 

 

Hello My Mexican Friend

Guzman Y Gomez

High Chairs – Kids Menu – Fooz Ball Table – Room for Prams

Grab some quick and tasty traditional eats at this casual Mexican eatery. The special kids menu will fill little tummies with dishes like The Little Guy Burrito, Chedder Cheese Quesadillas and tasty Kids Nachos. This place rocks, it's the ultimate spot with a very casual vibe for families.

 Mr Sweet Treat

 

We recently named the TOP spots in Melbourne to get a fluffy cupcakes. Find the CITY locations :: HERE
 

Kids and sweet shops go hand in hand. Find the BEST Kid Friendly Confectionery Shops in the city :: HERE

 

 

Has YOUR favourite city dining spot missed the list? Then you best let us know! Leave your suggestions in the comments and we’ll add them to our cracking list. xx

Spotted!! - More CBD family friendly dining suggestions Via the good folk over at Little Melbourne

 

 

 

 

Spotted! :: New Kids Corner @ Brand Smart

 

 

We don’t usually blog about fashion, seasonal trends and killer heels. But when l received an invitation to attend a recent re-launch of the premium discount shopping centre Brand Smart, l thought l’d just had to go. I may not know loads about ‘what’s in’ and ‘what’s out’ this season but l do know how to save money and hunt around for bargain buys for my little peeps.

 

Afternoon Tea at Brand Smart Event

 

 

You may have already heard of Brand Smart in Nunawading, l know l have, it’s not in my neighbourhood but l have paid a visit on the odd occasion to hang a few laps around the centre looking for that ever elusive bargain for the kids. Recently Brand Smart, as one would say for the fashion world, underwent a cheeky nip and a tuck. Yep she’s all brand spanking new and soon will be filled with exciting new stores to visit.

 

Loving a cheeky glass of bubbles!

 

In a nutshell Brand Smart Shopping Centre is a premium brand outlet store. They showcase a range of brands like Espirt, Bed Bath N Table, Wittner Shoes, Converse, Sass and Bide, Royal Dalton, Pumpkin Patch and many more. Basically they cover everything from the bathroom and bedroom to the kitchen and wardrobe.

 

“Brand Smart, Melbourne’s Premium Outlet Centre, is re-launching with a competitive and unique offering, delivering a premium-shopping outlet experience through a new visionary design and a diverse”

 

Coffee - Need l say more!!

 

One of the newly renovated features l found fantastic was the kid’s corners at Space Café. This enclosed kid’s corner has the goods when it comes to keeping the young ones entertained while you stop in for a quick coffee in between store visits. With a rotating DVD showing a child’s movie, mini stools, crayons and lego this modern space is sure to keep any busy toddler amused.  They can even draw on the walls, which is totally acceptable as they are made from recycled cardboard and have been especially designed to be drawn on. Who’d have thought, that’s an innovative concept in itself! This amazing space is the brain child of Clare Cousins who is also well known for her amazing work at the Melbourne Central and Highpoint Shopping Centre family rooms.

 

 

 

Pram Parking for Busy Parents

 

Amazing Space for the Little Peeps

 

Space Cafe has a vibey modern feel and stocks all your basic favourites like cupcakes, babycinos, sandwiches and other hearty eats to re-fuel tiny tummies. Also Brand Smart has a change table in the disabled toilet for petite bottoms. If you’re looking for a more substantial meal then Degani would be the perfect port of call, or for a super healthy eat on the run then Sushi Sushi would be my snack of choice. But hey you don’t visit Brand Smart for the food, you go for the fantastic bargains and for the friendly customer service. So if you’re looking to an alternative to your usual shopping strip adventure pop Brand Smart of the list.

 

Time to party! Why not head over to Brand Smart this weekend to help them celebrate during their Grand Opening. They’ll be hosting activities for the kids like story time and games, exclusive shopping offers from mum and cooking demos and wine tasting for dad.
 

** I was an invited guest of Brand Smart and they provided me with a stunning lunch and some goodies to take home. To return their generosity I feel obliged to feature them on my blog – l think a few hundred words is a fair trade for a day out with wonderful women and brands **


Eating Out With Kids in Perth

Back in March this year our little family had the pleasure of having a mini–break in Perth.
The kids and l really had a great time exploring the local haunts while hubby trotted off to his daily conference. It’s a very clean city with all the latest mod-cons like good quality shops, friendly locals and an easy to use public transport system. The kids and l got to check out the Western Australia Museum, the Art Gallery and the State library which all had special kid’s corners that they enjoyed ripping through.  And of course we did some eating out and here are some of my favourite spots we visited. 

Our tour guide!

Little Creatures
High Chairs – Change Table – Kids Menu – Play Area
In my mind this spot is the ultimate venue to take the kids for a seaside lunch. We were lucky enough to get a table out on the deck, which overlooked the sea and the semi enclosed sandpit. While Mr Bambini and l sipped on local brews the kids had a wonderful time playing with all the truck, cars, buckets and spades in the sandpit. The kids menu on offer was super and tempted their taste buds with dishes like tasty fish n chips (with salad!) pizza’s and pasta. For dessert they do a simple scoop of ice-cream, which is always a crowd pleaser with my boys. Little Creatures have a change table and high chairs on site with loads of room for the pram. The day we visited it was jam-packed with families soaking up the sun, ales and good eats.  Our favourite feature was the sandpit, Mr Bambini and l actually got to have a conversation while the kids happily played next to our table.

Mr 2 LOVING the Sandpit at Little Creatures

Arirand Korean BBQ
High Chairs – Kids Menu
This restaurant was a hit with our family, not only for the food but for the laid back vibe. If the kids are into different flavours then this place is for you. With a special kids menu, highchairs and friendly staff this place is a must visit for quick and cheap eats. We got a few entrées and noodle dishes to share between us and then ordered the kids meals. The kids enjoyed honey chicken with rice plus a glass of juice. It was a no brainer place to visit and found all the dishes really tasty and fresh.

The Botanical Café
High Chairs – Change Table – Play Area
The Botanical Café is amazing spot to visit if you’re into views, as it takes in the whole Perth sky line, which is so tiny compared to Melbourne, but gorgeous all the same. Set in Kings Park this modern café gives off a casual friendly vibe with quick service and seasonal eats on the menu. For the kids they have high chairs and a change table. As for eats they don’t have a specific menu, but do offer dishes which would be suitable. For breakfast the kids and l shared a plate of fruit toast along with fresh fruit salad while Mr Bambini smashed down some poached eggs, bacon and avocado. On the entertainment side of things – well you’re in Kings Park, which has LOADS of room to run and play.

Mini Milkshakes at The Botanical



Cranked – Leederville

High Chairs – Toys – Kids Menu – Park Nearby
If you’re into loving the locals, then this suburban café with a chilled atmosphere is for you. The menu is stock standard and nothing jumped out of me to indicate they do something special here, but the staff were laid back and the beer was cold. They serve up all your traditional breakfast and lunch options and for the kids they had a basket of toys and high chairs. Cranked are also conveniently located next to a park – need l say more!

Giving the toys a workout at Cranked Cafe

Miss Maud – City Arcade
High Chairs – Parents Room Located in Shopping Centre
Hello morning tea! I felt like l had travelled back to the 80’s and was sitting in a Denny’s type department store diner, it was totally fun. Miss Maud (LOVE the name!!) is a bakery cum café cum diner. They serve toasted cheese, fresh sandwiches, soup of the day and of course they have a wide range of cakes and pastries on offer. We grabbed a couple of cupcakes here and they were a hit with Mr 4 and my Chai latte was spicy and sweet. For the kids they offered high chairs and sweet treats like gingerbread, cupcakes, biscuits and more. Cupcakes are the perfect thing to temp any moody toddler out of a public tantrum.


Please note: While l found Perth to be amazing l didn’t like their prices when it came to eating out. A simple coffee at some places came to $4! Which I thought was a little pricey – especially black coffee straight up, which is Mr Bambini’s poison of choice. And a bottle of water cost me $5 at another venue. You’ve been warned people! Have fun. xx

Nabiha Cafe :: Moonee Ponds

If your shopping trips with the kids are anything like mine, then a funky little café that serves great coffee and awesome food is high on the list of priorities.

If you happen to be in Moonee Ponds doing the grocery run, then this cool little place is for you. It doesn’t really have many of the Hey Bambini features, but is such a great little place, if you’ve got kids who can sit still for at least five minutes!

A tiny hole in the wall, it’s easy to walk straight past. If you notice a couple of small tables on the footpath and a wooden mural of superhero type characters, then you’re in the right spot.

The few times we’ve been, the girls who run the café are lovely and friendly, more than happy to get extra plates, cutlery or serviettes for the kids. The babycinos come in the most gorgeous painted enamel mugs and the coffee for mums and dads is great.

The small menu has a Middle Eastern influence, with a selection of danishes and pastries too. The fruit toast with ricotta, honey and toasted almonds is a winner with my kids!

With only seats for about 10, Nabiha is not the place to take your Mother’s Group, but for a quick breakfast or lunch, it’s a wonderful escape from reality!


Where ::10 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds,
When :: Mon – Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 9am-3pm
How to Pay :: Eftpos, cash, MC, V
For the Wee Ones :: Babycinos Only - Some Eats suitable for Little Ones - Colourful Decor'


*This guest post was brought to you by Mel our Melbourne Mamma Food Reviewer*

Melbourne’s BEST Cupcake Spots

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Who on earth would knock back a cupcake? No one in this house that’s for sure. We’re big cupcake fans and love finding new places to try out for a sweet treat. So here’s our list of the BEST spots in Melbourne to pick up a fluffy colourful cupcake or two or maybe three with the wee ones in tow.

The Cupcake Queens
Moonee Ponds :: Williamstown :: Albert Park :: Armadale

Cupcake Central
Melbourne Central :: Hawthorn :: Highpoint

Merry Cupcakes
Brunswick St in Fitzroy

Little Cupcakes
Degraves Street  & Queen St - Melbourne City

Joy Cupcakes
Doncaster :: Southern Cross Lane Melbourne City

The Cupcake Bakery
Chadstone :: Collins St Melbourne City :: Geelong
Greensborough :: Highpoint :: Melbourne Central

Cupcakes by Paolo
West Footscray

The Cupcake Family
QV Melbourne City

Northern Cafe Adventures

It seems the café fairies are at it again and have been sprinkling their fairy dust to sprout more cafes in the ever so popular Brunswick East and Carlton area. Good for us, but come on café fairies, what about outer eastern suburbs! They need some family friendly café love too you know. Anyhow we’ve dropped into these two little gems just recently and found they had some special features for the wee ones.

North Carlton Canteen
1008 Lygon Street Carlton North
High Chair – Crayons and Colouring Books

Set on busy (busy!) Lygon St up past the cemetery is Carlton North Canteen. They’ve been in the area for a few months now and seem to have a good local following on the weekends already. They have a communal table, foot path seating and LOADS of staff! The girl asked us three times what coffee we’d like in the space of a few minutes, before we’d even put our bums on the seat. Having said that the service was good and they quickly bought crayons and paper out for the kids, and offered a high chair for Mr 2. I suggest if you have the wee ones go EARLY as this place fills up quick and there is not much room for a pram and kids. Great little menu for the big kids, my chai latte was smooth and zesty, which was the perfect accompaniment with my home baked Monte Carlo biscuit. Mr Bambini’s Egg and Bacon roll was HUGE, it was packed with fresh relish, salad and aioli, and gave it a thumbs up. In all it’s a fab place to visit but best to swing past during the week for a coffee, then that way you’d have the whole place to yourself.

Red Scooter Café
140 Barkly St Brunswick
High Chairs – Change Table

I’ve been driving past this gem for months wishing they’d hurry up and open. I went on my summer break, came home and guess what? They had finally swung open the doors. Red Scooter is a very spacious cafe and also has a vintage modern vibe. Mr 4 and I popped in during a weekday and we had the place to ourselves. Service was VERY friendly, the lady even brought out extra pens for Mr 4 to draw with while we waited for his milkshake, which came in a pretty cool glass. (See Picture!) My fruit toast was amazing, l got 2 enormous slabs of fruity bread for $6, which I thought was a pretty good deal. They have a middle eastern/greek influenced menu for breakfast and lunch while still featuring all of your café favourites like eggs and french toast. Red Scooter would be a perfect meeting place for new mums as there is ample room for the pram, they even have a change table in the toilets and of course the trusty Ikea high chairs. With outdoor seating and tasty ice coffees this place could easily become the new Bambini local.