Interview :: Mel from Hey Bambini

This week I’m thrilled to shine the interview spotlight on one of our guest reviewers Mel.
Mel has been reviewing kid friendly cafes and restaurants for Hey Bambini just on two years now.

Oh how the time flies eh!

So we got to thinking a few weeks back that everyone gets to read her candid reviews and see her happy snaps, it’s high time readers get to find out just a little bit more about her and her beautiful café loving kids

 
Day Job/Occupation: Physiotherapist and serial cafe-goer, helping to write reviews for Hey Bambini

Kids :: Ella 4 years and Angus 2 years

Tea or Coffee? :: At a cafe, skinny flat white, at home T2 tea. Number per day depends on how bad the day (or night) has been!

Sweet or Savoury for Breakfast? :: I love the idea of a sweet breakfast, but can only do the savoury, eggy option. Runny poached eggs with smoked salmon and avocado is my ultimate breakfast. Maybe with a cheeky glass of bubbles too!

How often do you dine out with your little people? :: I probably take the kids out twice a week for brunch or early lunch and sometimes we'll do the weekend breakfast with my husband. We also try to do an early family dinner about once a month, but somehow we just seem to run out of time.

Keeping it local! Where do your family hangout out the most when dining out? :: We love going to Maxii Moo in Brunswick. The staff are really friendly and love kids and the kids corner is amazing! There are plenty of toys, books and cartoons to keep the little ones amused and I can have a coffee, breakfast AND read the paper without being disturbed. Well, not too much! As a bonus, there's a park across the road if the weather is nice and the little ones need to burn off some energy.

What is the ultimate family friendly feature you love in a kid friendly café? :: Definitely a play area or corner with toys, books, pencils and paper to keep the kids amused for more than five minutes. As the kids are getting older, this is getting much easier. Angus still doesn't understand the concept of 'mummy time'!

What do your kids love to eat when they go out?:: Ella and Angus both love Babycinos with a marshmallow, and will more or less eat anything! Cheese and vegemite toast, pancakes, eggs, chips, biscuits, muffins.....

Best thing about eating out with kids? :: It teaches the kids valuable social skills, but best of all it gets me out of the house, enjoying good coffee and staying sane! It also shares my passion for food with the kids.

Worst thing about eating out with kids? ::The mess and them 'cracking it' mid meal.

Your BEST eating out tips for new parents :: Don't be afraid to take the kids to cafes from a young age to get them used to the idea of being out in public. Ella was a week old on our first venture out. Be prepared - take wipes, books, toys etc to keep the little ones amused, especially if you're not sure if the cafe is kid friendly. Don't plan to spend too long in one place. Chances are you'll only fit in a quick coffee before they have had enough.

Describe eating out with kids in three words :: Fun, challenging, messy!

Big thanks to Mel for sharing with us a slice of her café hoping life with the kidlets. I certainly like the sound of a glass of bubbles for breakfast! You can find more of Mel’s kid friendly reviews over HERE. Enjoy!

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

Let's Play! Cafes with Cool Play Areas

 

 

It's 10am.

 

You need coffee.

The kids need to get out of the house.

And you need some inspiration on where to take the youngins.

Here are our Top 4 cafes to visit that have excellent play areas for the kids.

 

North Folk
Head to Maxxii Moo :: Unleash the kids into the mini kitchen play area and let them cook you brunch! 

 

South of the River
Skip your way over to Cowderoy’s Dairy :: One word - PLAYGROUND – they have one next door – need l say more.

 

West Side
Get on that West Gate Bridge to Leroy’s :: On offer is a good little play area for the kids, complete with sandpit. So the wait in traffic is totally worth it.

 

East Peeps
Look no further than Fordham’s Milkbar. :: Bake treats are sure to add pounds to your waist line but who cares, the kids will love the milkshakes, mini cupcakes and of course the train playground.

Kids Art and Eats :: South Bank

Last Wednesday the kids and l had nothing pencilled in the diary. Yes NOTHING! No kinder, no child-care, no sport, visiting family members or doctors’ appointments. We were most excited and decided to jump on a tram and have an adventure in the city. I’d been promising Mr 3 a visit to the NGV. He has been keen to check out some art work which was inspired by a recent episode of Gasper and Lisa. The characters had just recently visited an art gallery in Paris. He loves Gasper and Lisa and their “frenchy” ways. How cultured of him!

So off we went. The gallery opens at 10am so first stop after our tram ride from Brunswick was a stroll down Spencer St. Mr 3 took great delight in spotting all the street sweepers, police cars and colourful window displays. We also stopped by Dame Edna’s 'Gladdies' for a cheeky peek too.

The galley was spectacular, as always. We threw some coins in the fountain out the front and made a wish, admired the water windows and swung by the NGV kid's corner. Both boys loved running around this child-friendly space, we did some colouring, danced on the beautiful carpet lights, made a paper crown and sailed the high seas, all inspired by Napoleon of course.

Once we were done there we had a quick whip around the gallery to have a look at some of the amazing art works. We then parked ourselves on the carpet in the great hall to have a mini picnic, while admiring the stunning glass roof. ** Note::  Food or Beverages CAN NOT be consumed in the gallery. Please see signage and staff on appropriate places to eat and drink.**

After the galley the boys decided that they were still hungry so we paid a visit to South Bank, which is about a five minute walk from the NGV. We went into the South Gate building in search of food and by the time we got to the food court both boys were asleep. Talk about timing. But it didn’t stop me from doing a bit of “kid-friendly” food research! So here are my top picks of family friendly dining in South Gate.

Joy Cupcakes :: Freshly cooked cupcakes that come in a variety of sizes and flavours. The mini ones are perfect for little hands. They also have seating inside to rest weary legs. We’ve visited them before which you can read about HERE.

Wagamama :: Kids EAT free!! (Conditions apply) :: Large tables for big groups :: Pram access :: High Chairs ::  No booking required

Lindt Chocolate Cafe :: This visit is mainly for the mammas! I didn’t know Lindt were located at South Gate and thought they are well worth a mention! This place is filled with chocolaty goodness and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Need I say more!

South Gate also has a PARENTS ROOM on Level Two.

NOTE :: There is a food court on the ground level in South Gate. It’s also good a good spot to re-fuel; but don’t get too excited, it’s just a run of the mill type food court serving everything from sushi to fried food, pizzas, smoothies and ice-cream. It can be the ideal pit-stop if you have the wee ones in tow. Plenty of room for the prams, some highchairs and of course it comes with a cracking view of the city.

So next time you plan your trip to the city with the wee ones just keep a note in the memory bank that South Gate can be an ideal place for eats and treats, making it an ideal spot for a family day out.

Mini Review :: Nuts About Coffee :: Blackburn

This tiny coffee shop opposite the Blackburn train station is a great place to grab a quick coffee and sweet treat with the kids. There isn’t much room for prams in the little space, but the entire front window is given over to toys, cushions and the biggest teddy bear you have ever seen!

The organic Fairtrade coffee (and babycinos of course) come with a complimentary piece of a honey/nut/seed slice, which is chewy and delicious. There are a few other sweet treats, like muffins, biscuits and slices, but no other real menu. You can, however, pick up bags of various dried fruits, nuts, lollies and snacks at very reasonable prices.

Being more a store, rather than café, there are no toilets or changing facilities either.

We visited on a cold and wet autumn morning and the place was super busy with families, walkers with dogs and those enjoying a relaxing coffee while reading the paper. Definitely worth a visit if you happen to be heading out East for a drive.


The Cheeky Deets!

Where 
80 South Parade Blackburn

Open 
Mon-Fri 7.30am-7.30pm, weekends 8.30am-3pm

Payment
CASH ONLY

For the Wees Ones

Babycinos :: Healthy Eats :: Toys :: Books

21 Hot Chocolate Flavours in Werribee

Mel has been at in again, searching the suburbs for cool kid-friendly cafes. Here is her latest adventure, which saw her out in Werribee. She just happen to stumble across a fun place that's serves 21 varieties of Gourmet Hot Chocolate for the little ones and Mum too. Enjoy!

If you LOVE gourmet hot chocolate and yummy treats from Phillippa’s Bakery, then Jaffa Espresso Bar is the place to go!

This small café on Werribee’s main street only has a few of the Hey Bambini features, so is better suited to those with small babies still in the pram, or well behaved little ones who are happy to sit still for a short time.

The bright and colourful room has plenty of room for prams and a variety of tables and chairs or couches to sit at. There are also a couple of tables out on the footpath, under umbrellas, but being on a VERY busy road, it’s not the safest place for wandering toddlers.

The kids menu really is just a drinks list of babycinos, kiddie milkshakes, hot chocolate or iced chocolate. For eats, there is a display case and counter full of yummy treats. Little Miss loved her mini chocolate caramel tart and my savoury muffin with homemade relish was delish.

Due to a limited kitchen, the menu is just what is on display – freshly made foccacias, soup, muffins, cakes, tarts and biscuits. All the bread and a lot of the cakes and biscuits are from Phillippa’s, so you know they’ll be tasty.

The coffee is good, but the specialty of the café is the 21 flavours of hot chocolate. I was in heaven! Whether you like a bit of chilli with your chocolate, orange and cinnamon or mint, your tastebuds will be delighted. The Fraus ‘Seriously Rich’ range of hot chocolates are produced in the European style, blending ‘the most precious and aromatic cacao, with a variety of natural products to create a drinking chocolate regarded amongst the worlds finest!’. Other amazing flavours in the range include vanilla, caramel, white chocolate with hazelnut, meringue, coconut and nougat. Yummo!

Lining the walls of Jaffa are quirky artworks with a coffee or chocolate theme, which are all for sale. Coffee, tea and chocolate gift packs are also available. Great for last minute gifts or as a treat for yourself. You can also pick up the Fraus hot chocolate powder to make your own decadent indulgence at home.

There are no activities for the kids, so you might need to take your own pencils and paper or books to entertain the kidlets. Also, there is no toilet on-site and so no facilities to change the little ones.

Warren Glen Nursery Cafe :: Revisited

I love surprises and what an AMAZING surprise the Warren Glen Nursery café was. Set in a lush garden centre on the outskirts of the Yarra Valley, this was a haven of all things beautiful.

Firstly, this is a nursery, with a massive range of all sorts of plants and garden paraphernalia. Wandering around with the kids was a great learning experience. Little Miss was keen to point out the coloured flowers, ‘waterfalls’ (fountains) and smell the herbs, all whilst pushing around the Little Man in his pram.

The gift shop at the entrance is full of beautiful clothes, toys, Christmas decorations, hand made cards and other gift ideas. I must head back without the kids one day to have a proper look. Note to self – kids and fragile, breakable items don’t mix!

The café itself is located at the back of the garden centre, across the creek and up the hill. Overexcited kids, mums with prams and anyone unsteady on their feet should take care with the steep slope.

There are four main areas to the café, with plenty of room to move a pram around. The first room is long and narrow with only a few tables opposite the counter, so not much room to sit with little ones. Running along this room is the wide balcony with beautiful views of the garden centre and surrounding countryside. The largest area is in a marquee to the back. This is undercover and protected from the elements by plastic blinds. For the kids, the main attraction is the train playground, in the other outdoor area. Here the tables are widely spaced with big market umbrellas to provide shade.

Little Miss was in her element with the train. It’s made to look like Thomas, with the engine and carriage perfect for running through and playing on. On the day I visited, six or seven eager kids were all bustling to have a go!

Kids amused. Check. Now on to the food. The menu has plenty to offer the kids and parents. There are kids options for breakfast and lunch, with a special lunch pack even including food to feed the ducks. Kiddie favourites of pikelets, eggs on toast, hot dogs, pizzas and mini burgers are likely to be winners.

Adult options include eggs anyway with extras, French toast, roasted field mushrooms and daily specials. The lunch menu gets a bit more fancy with frittata, smoked salmon quiche, gourmet focaccia and a selection of yummy tapas dishes.

The cake display case is truly to die for! My pear and walnut friand, served with cream and a caramel sauce was divine.

For those with a gluten intolerance, there are plenty of gluten free options on the regular menu and in the sweets department.

Aside from the wonderful food and beautiful setting, there are high chairs aplenty and a change table in the toilets adjoining the café.

What a fantastic place to go for some quiet time in a lovely environment.

** Big thanks to Mel for the cheeky re-visit to Warren Glen Nursery Cafe. For more details on this fab little spot pop on over to our website for our review.**

Road Test :: JO Tracks by Sweet Georgie Pie

Well it’s definitely the silly season at our place. There is not a morsel of food in the fridge because we have been hopping around from christmas party to christmas party. Yes the pants are starting to get a little tight and the kids are being loaded up with cheap plastic toys like there’s no tomorrow. I must say though with all this running around, the kids are holding up a treat. We’ve endured some long car rides, extended meals at relative’s homes and dined out at a handful of cafes and restaurants. Of course l have to plan ahead with the entertainment department with Mr 3. As much as he likes hanging out with the adults and putting on a show he does get a little bored thus resulting in me needing to find things for him to do. That’s where the wonderful JO Tracks by Sweet Georgie Pie come into the picture.

Mr 3 being a young boy is obsessed with cars and trucks, as all young fellas are and the best way l’ve found that keeps him busy is by pulling out the JO Tracks from the nappy bag. JOT who? Well let me enlighten you. Basically the JO Tracks is a light weight portable play mat which folds out to a super cool racing track, it even comes with mini garages to store the cars. The track has pictures of colourful roundabouts, a petrol station, car parks and even a toy store! The imagination certainly gets a work out here. It’s been a god-send to pull out and it’s had a few runs at various cafes, a 70th birthday and a Christmas function. Mr 3 loves it and always brings different cars along to play with. It can be propped up on a table or used on the ground but the best thing is that is fits right into the nappy bag - actually it’s about the same weight and size of a medium nappy. I guess my favourite feature is that being made from plastic makes it easy to clean and neatly folds away into any size nappy bag, making it instant entertainment. We’ve really enjoyed road-testing the JO Tracks, well Mr 3 especially, l’ve enjoyed the peace and quiet it’s given me, I’ve even been about to finish a coffee and a sandwich without being interrupted, now that’s priceless!

Five Sweet Little Ladies for your Friday

Yay its Friday AGAIN and here are some sweet little ladies to help you with your café hopping weekend. Enjoy!

Miss Marie
High Chairs – Change Table – Books – Room For Pram

Miss Marmalade
High Chairs – Change Table – Toys - Babycinos

Madelines's at Jell's
High Chairs – Change Table – Playground - Bike Tracks

Ester’s Table
High Chairs – Change Table – Toys – Kids Menu

Lulabells Café
High Chairs – Change Table – Toys – High Tea

5 Colourful Cafes for Friday

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Have a colourful Friday & enjoy the weekend.

Here are 5 cafes that splash a little colour about.


Brown Cow

High chairs - Crayons & Colouring Sheets - Kids Menu

Famous Blue Raincoat

High chairs - Toys - Kids Menu

Lemon Tree

High chairs - Crayons & Colouring Sheets - Mini Milkshakes

Pearl Oyster

High chairs - Toys - Kids Menu

Marmalade Cafe

High chairs - Toys - Kids Menu

L'atelier de Monsieur Truffe

The Monsieur Truffe menu is small & offers
a variety of breakfast & brunch dishes.


For the wee ones they have two menu options, kids raspberry
pancakes with coconut curd & kid’s sausage rolls with sauce.


For the hot chocolate fans they do offer mini hot chocolates
which are served lukewarm to prevent unnecessary burning tongues.


For tiny bottoms they have highchairs & a change table in the toilets.


To read more of this review pop on over to Hey Bambini.


Enjoy!

Cubbyhouse Canteen

With plenty of room to move a pram, baby change table
facility, high chairs, toys, colouring pencils & books,
indoor/outdoor/park seating option, great food & service,
this cafe makes for an ideal place for the whole family
& already proving extremely popular with the locals.

To read more of this guest review by Li-Ann from Ham & Pea click HERE

Sydney LOVE

Oh my goodness!

That's all l can say right now.

We have only been in Sydney for four days & our little family has already explored so much of this beautiful city.

{We are dreaming of having an apartment on the water - but yes just dreams...}

We can't wait to share with you all the great child friendly cafes we've already found.

Our jeans are starting to get a little tight so a see-food diet may be on the cards when we get home!! {LOL!!}

So stay tuned for the next exciting "cafe news" installment from Hey Bambini.

{We thought we'd just "check in" to let you all know we are still around!}

Until next time we meet lovelies.

Cheers to Sydney

Northern Territory Dining with Kids

Two words to describe the Northern Territory are remote and beautiful. Apart from Alice Springs, Uluru and Darwin there’s not much else. Having said that they don’t have the funky cafes and restaurants on every street corner like the big smoke. And why on earth would they anyway – it’s the desert!

Our little family did manage to find a few good eating places, listen they weren’t the best places l’ve ever dined in but you don’t track miles over the Australia desert for fine dining. You go there to immerse yourself in nature’s wonders. And they are truly wonderful. If you haven’t been to the Red Centre yet – put it on your bucket list and get up there!

Here is a snap shot of where we ate and what family friendly features they had for the kids. All the places we dined in were only too happy to accommodate the kids with small activities, menus, changing facilities and highchairs. Make Uluru your next family holiday.


Alice Springs

Hanuman Thai

Hanuman is a Thai and Indian restaurant rolled into one with good tasting meals at high to moderate prices (remember everything has to get flown in – they don’t have an Asian grocer on every street corner) **Bookings MOST Essential – a very popular spot with locals and visitors**

For the Kids: Highchairs – Changing Facilities – Kids Menu had mini chicken stir-fry, mini fish stir-fry and very mild beef Masaman curry all served with rice and vegies for $12.


Juicy Rump Bistro Bar

The Juicy Rump (what a name!!) is a basic bistro style restaurant. They have tellies on the wall and a full bar with very basic pub style food. They’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here, so don’t expect too much. Choices include steak sandwich, Caesar Salad and of course the good old Aussie burger.

For the Kids: Highchairs – Changing Facilities – Kids Menu which had your bistro favourites like juicy chicken fillets, tempura fish fillets and a mini minute steak all served with chips and salad. Kid’s drinks start from $3 and of course the ice-cream is FREE.


Uluru – Ayers Rock

Tali Bar at Sails

Tali Bar is a basic bar cum small bistro with a relaxed friendly atmosphere serving quick and easy meals such as burgers, salads and pastas. Great little spot to dine at if the kids are a bit tired and grumpy. There is a front lawn which they can run around on while you wait for your food. We ate twice there because our two were just about at the end of their tether by day's end. It is a touch on the pricey side – but you are out in the desert!

For the kids - Highchair – Kids Menu – Activity Sheets with crayons – Change Table – front lawn to play on

Winkiku Restaurant

Winkiku serves a buffet breakfast in a brasserie-style setting. For dinner (seasonal), enjoy a tantalising seafood buffet, delicious array of salads, hot dishes and a carvery. We had breakfast here one morning and there was a variety of goodies such as fresh fruit, cereals and gourmet toppings for yogurts right down to pastries, muffins, eggs, bacon and other warm breakfast treats. Mr 2 always gets Coco Pops when we are on holidays and Mr 8 months enjoyed the fresh fruit and yogurts. Reservations essential

For the kids - Highchair – Kids Menu – Activity Sheets with crayons – Change Table

Arnguli Grill

Located at the Voyages Desert Gardens Hotel, Arnguli Grill features a table d'hôte menu of two and three set menu options, in relaxed surrounds. All tables come with white table cloths, water and wine glasses and service is swift and efficient. We were super organised this night and had Mr 8 months asleep when we arrived for dinner and the staff were also very helpful organising Mr 2's meal and ice-cream and timed it perfectly so we could enjoy our meals to. *Always get a child ice-cream served with your main meals – just takes the edge off and they are totally captivated with their dessert they won’t even bug you until every last drop is gone! Food good – although l should never have gone the vegetarian option – it was a BIG fail. Better luck next time.

For the kids - Highchair – Kids Menu – Activity Sheets with crayons – Change Table – before we went to dinner there is a lookout near by the Arnguli Grill and we watched the sun go down over the rock, kids love running around in the red dirt and looking at the animals tracks in the sand. Well my Mr 2 did anyway!

Babycinos Garden Cafe

Babycinos Garden Cafe has thought of everything
when it comes to keeping the little ones entertained.

With an outdoor play area consisting of swings and
mini sandpit to the enclosed playroom complete with books,
games and doll house – your kids will surely be entertained
for more than the ten minutes it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee.

To see the full review visit our website

APTE Cafe

We arrived mid-morning and the place was jam packed
with families, couples and of course some four legged friends.

We were lucky to get a table and the staff was very prompt in showing
us to our seats, taking our coffee orders and fetching the highchair.

Not that bubba sat in it for long – the box of toys was calling his name.

The toy box was filled with all your usual fun things –
books, plastic cars and a variety of other bibs and bobs.

To read the rest of this review visit our site!

xo

Jerry's Milkbar

We felt totally relaxed at Jerrys Milkbar, as there were several
other children also running around playing with toys along
with a few expectant mothers and small family groups.

Inside the kids can drool over the old fashioned lolly counter which
is filled with all your usual milkbar mixed lolly favourites – pineapples,
fads lollies, snakes and all the rest you can think of from your childhood.

To read the rest of this review visit our site!

xo

Green Tambourine Cafe

Green Tambourine have thought of everything when it comes to
kids – the toilet even has a change table complete with
emergency wipes, nappies and disposable bibs – how considerate!

Just the thing if you have left the house in a mad flap.

There is ample room to move the pram inside and
out of the cafe and there are plenty of seating options.

A large communal table sits next to the open fire and for
the warmer months there is loads footpath seating
where even your four legged friends are welcome.

To read the rest of this review visit our site

Outdoor fun in Winter

It's such a lovely combination l think.

Having a cafe close to a park.

If you don't feel like dining in you can grab a take-away
coffee and a baked treat then take the kids to the park.

Just bliss.

With winter still at our doors it's harder to get the kids to the park
- but when the sun peeks out from behind the dark clouds
here are a few of our favourite spots to visit for a play and pastry!

Cowderoy Milkbar in St Kilda

Phoenix Park Cafe in Malvern East

Little Captain in St Kilda East

Beasleys Tea House in Doncaster East

Friuts of Passion in Kensington


Hope we've given you some ideas to pop outside when the sun is shining.

See our website for full reviews of cafes.

Enjoy!
xo

Dining out with baby in Canada

As promised from weeks ago here are my baby friendly finds from overseas.

We dined out in MANY places but l guess these were the stand outs.Not only for their food and service but also for the facilities they had for kids.

Most restaurants in Canada welcome kids with open arms and that usually came in
the form of crayons, activity placemats, colouring books, kid’s menus, highchairs and changing facilities.

I was actually astounded at the amount of changing facilities in restaurants in Canada.


Here were my favourites....

The Canyon Creek Chop House in Niagara Falls

Highchair, changing facilities, activity placemat, crayons and kids menu


The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Highchair, changing facilities, activity placemat, crayons and kids menu


Creperie Chez Suzette Montreal

Highchair, changing facilities, activity placemat, crayons and kids menu


Aux Anciens Canadiens Resturant Quebec

Booster seat, normal menu at kids serving, changing facilities