bubabout

Hopping Good Fun

2009-01-16T20:56:00.003+11:00

Hopscotch
313 Glenhuntly Road
Elsternwick, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
+613 9532 7688
open: 7 days: Mon-Wed 7am-5pm; Thurs-Sat 7am-11pm; Sun 8am-6pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: N
friendly enough? 4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? outside

This place was a recommendation and I thank you for it! Our little brood rolled up with grandparents early on Sunday morning. So early in fact, that it was sheer luck that we helped open the place. It is amazing how quickly we forget that for a certain portion of the population, Sunday is a day of rest.

Little man was beside himself with excitement – here was a nice friendly waitress, giving him many a big smile, a very quick frothy bubachino, a view of dogs being walked along Glenhuntly Road AND his grandparents fussing over him!

For us, the parents, the experience was topped off by quick service and Grandmother was almost as excited as the little man with her extra frothy, extra hot cappuccino. My chai was as good as a chai latte has ever been and Hubby tried to rival his mother in the raving over the coffee stakes. Our commitment to value for money was also satisfied here with big portions. Lucky I was starving!

There is Polish foodstuffs available for lunch or dinner, which along with meeting the owners, gave this place a friendly ‘have we met before, and if not why not and do you know of anyone for my single cousin?’ feel to it.

We will be back to try those piroshkis. With a courtyard that has a dedicated play area and toys and rear access via a laneway (and I must mention my current obsession, WiFi), it will be as easy as a hop, skip and jump!

All the Fun of the Fair

2008-11-04T10:49:00.005+11:00

Carousel
22 Aughtie Drive
Albert Park Lake, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
+613 846 6000
open: 7 days 8am-4pm (ish)

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? Y

Does it show my age to mention that I remember Carousel as the nightclub? There were a few less than wholesome nights hanging over Albert Park Lake in those days ... My how we've changed.

Now, I spend the morning's breakfast desperately trying to prevent my mobile little man from also hanging over the Lake. I have never been more wholesome as I order chai lattes and chat about sleep patterns.

What a treat it is when a place grows up with you!

We spent a delightful breakfast with friends - all of us with mobile men (and the babies!). We needed a lot of space, flexibility and quick service as we are all on the mid morning nap routine. Carousel delivered it without a fuss.

The food was great - perfect sizing and did those boys demolish the mushrooms and avocado! Hubby was 'not in love' with the coffee but because everything else was easy, he forgave them.

We took it in gender teams to run with the little ones outside, skipping over dog poo and cigarette butts, so there was as much time as you could hope for to have extra coffee and a good gossip. I understand that to mention staff is always precarious in case they leave, but in this case, the staff really made it one of the easiest breakfasts we have had in a group.

While it is not really a child-friendly park at this end (or rather not an early-toddler friendly park), the outside certainly buys you some extra brekkie time and little man fell straight to sleep for his nap once we were home. Dreaming no doubt about those swans and dipping into that lake while holding on a babychino and a crust of banana bread!

Another Brick in the Wall

2008-10-26T10:48:00.005+11:00

Wall Two 80
280 Carlisle Street
Balaclava, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9593 8280
open: Mon-Sat 7.00am-6pm; Sun 7.30am-6pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? NA (outside only)

There are many reasons to love the Wall – not least that I used to go here in mythical life before baby boy (MLBBB). It’s a clever refurb in a tight space with often a jam-faced perky toddler weaving through the tables.

In MLBBB I often met my friends and their babies here and now, I fit right in with my own. Little man is less happy inside than I would like, but more than happy sitting outside facing the action, which if you have brought a pram is the better option.

It goes without saying that husband LOVES his coffee here. He often pushes me out of the slowly moving car to get a takeaway while we drive crazy boy to sleep. The food is always tasty: from pides to pastries. Most importantly it is all pretty quick allowing for us to make a get-away if required.

While you are on a road (if outside), the place is very pro-child. There is no extra-bonus coffee park time, but you will have a delicious and quick breakfast, lunch or snack with plenty of people for your little one to talk to or see.

Ahoy Matey

2008-10-18T22:25:00.003+11:00

LIttle Captain
353 Inkerman Street
St Kilda East, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9527 5207
Open: Mon-Fri 7.30am-4pm(ish), Sat-Sun 8am-4pm(ish)

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? NA (there are only a few outside tables, but it is next to the park)

I am currently on a quest to find cafe attached to parks. Spring is springing and so is the little man, so my logic is muesli then monkey bars.

Little Captain ticks my boxes for me. We did a weekend breakfast and I have subsequently re-tested it for takeaway with a friend and her child. Both times: tick, tick.

It is tiny but they seem to do it all very well. The décor is eclectic and I loved the ‘made in Tunisia’ tins for the sugar sticks. It has the used and comfy charm about it.

There is a tiny but well-thought out menu based on pide sandwiches and mini bagels. My husband calls the coffee ‘smooth’ – this I think is a good thing, and my chai was actually perfect.

Little man loved it. He loved the baby chino (a very nice and frothy one), he loved the little girl sitting next to us and he loved his raspberry muffin. But most of all, he loved it when we got our takeaway second coffees and toddled off to the park next door.

It’s a Gas Gas Gas!

2008-10-18T21:28:00.004+11:00

Gasworks Café
21 Graham Street
Albert Park, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9682 8255
Open: 7 days from 8am

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly?5/5

Now why did I never really go here before? There is no reason why this is not a great place for the great un-spawned, but for us with child, specifically us with active, let-me-try-to-run-wild boy-child, this place is one to remember.

Gasworks café, located within the Arts Park of the same name, has ample inside and outside space including large share tables. On the day we came, the weather was perfect so we had lunch outside.

Our lunch was of ample proportions and arrived quickly. Little man had trouble eating because of the excitement of all the birds and dogs (a stage, I am sure). However, it kept him occupied and let us have another round of drinks. My chai latte was probably one of the spiciest I have had, which took me by surprise. My husband’s long macchiato was ‘not bad’, not the most excited I’ve heard him, but he said it really was nothing to complain about.

The café is totally chilled out, with friendly and efficient staff. There is also a children’s menu. The grassy park and art galleries make it more than just a place to have a meal.

It’s Hip to be Square

2008-10-11T11:45:00.003+11:00

nineteen squares
31 Blessington Street
St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
open: Mon-Fri 630am-5pm, Sat-Sun 730am-5pm
+61 3 8598 9919

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 5/5
pram friendly?NA (outside only)

Here’s a question asked of me recently: Does St Kilda actually need another café?

Well, yes, especially if you want a good, unique café with an environment that is not yet another over-slicked, large vacuous space of bad food, badly-made coffee and transient service that screams, ‘I am in St Kilda, look at me you fool!’

This little place on Blessington Street is cute and almost miss-able. When I visited, there was a table of mothers and prams, so I felt right at home with little man waiting for a girlfriend who was childfree for the day, which given the availability of space, may have been a blessing.

OK it is pretty small, so if you wanted to go inside, I am not sure that would work with a pram and probably your little one would have to be either (a) older or (b) more chilled than mine. But the day was beautiful so outside was perfect for us and ideal for people and dog watching.

Neither of us drink coffee and there is no chai, but the hot choc was lovely and while it was just a quick break (and I forgot my wallet) the food looked good, but we didn’t indulge. This leaves it open for me to come back and I was told that they will be opening nights soon.

Milk it Baby

2008-10-11T11:38:00.004+11:00

Cowderoy’s Dairy
14 Cowderoy Street
St Kilda West, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9537 2601

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: N
friendly enough?3/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? 3/5

Plan: find a place where we can meet up with some people, have a good quality tasty bite then continue talking over a leisurely coffee or the like while the children play merrily.
Hahahahahahahahaha
What? You found a place? Stop it! I’ll laugh myself to death! No, seriously, don’t tease me so.

This is hardly news for many who live down this side, but Cowderoy Dairy is pretty much a one-stop shop. Yes, there is seating inside and out and wait for it – you get extra bonus time because it is right on a park! The food is very homemade and comforting with eggs available until 3pm but there is always something available like pies or cakes or for that matter, a bag of mixed lollies. On this day, we ordered a sausage roll, which I found to be very dry, possibly because it was late in the day.

Regardless, it is a favourite and the park location encourages you to order more and take longer than you may otherwise. We took our final coffee order into the park where little man, who is considering the pros and cons of walking, can run (well, crawl and sort-of stumble around) amok while we finish off.

Not Just Bread

2008-10-11T11:27:00.003+11:00

Amici Bakery Cafe
242 Chapel Street
Prahran, Victoria, Australia
Open: Sun-Thurs 7am-7pm, Fri-Sat 7am-midnight
+61 3 9529 7770

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: Y
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? 5/5

We’ve got this place down to a fine art form. Little man and I have taken grandparents (loved it – size of the hot chocolates), Daddy (loved it – size of the breakfast) and visiting family (loved it – size of the table).

The coffee is apparently good and I can tell you that the hot chocolates are in very tall glasses, although taste-wise, I have had better. There is no denying the value-for-money in the cooked breakfast, with portions large and delicious. I tend to eat the omelette a lot because little man likes it. On that note, little man and his little cousin had a fun little feast with not only the cooked breakfasts but with the assortment of bakery items available.

Now that he is bigger and easily able to eat what we eat this place has really become an enjoyable place, with generally good-humoured staff (thinking of what must have been a harrowingly early Sunday morning for one waitress …), quickly arriving food and highchairs. There are only two of these though.

Great space for a group, or just the family with lots for the little man to look at. As you would expect there is a terrific bakery selection and there are usually sandwiches that are delicious ready to go.

Hmmm … I have only done breakfast here but it may be time to try it for an early dinner too.

Livingroom with a View

2008-06-19T20:58:00.009+10:00

Livingroom
12-18 Claremont Avenue
Malvern, Victoria, Australia
open: Tues 6pm-11pm, Wed-Fri 12pm-11pm, Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 8am-5pm
+61 3 9576 0356

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: Y
friendly enough?5/5
fast enough? 5/5
pram friendly? 5/5

I’m in loooove! Bring me three Victorian row houses, made into one very bright, airy and spacious place. I would like massive windows over-looking a quiet suburban shopping strip. Add some wood floors and large heavyset tables surrounded with eclectic collections of reupholstered antique chairs. Make my dining-mates good-looking families of all configurations and if the food is even halfway descent I am happy.

Luckily all this can be mine and the food was more than halfway descent. With a slight nod to the Middle East, Livingroom’s brunch menu was warming and a nice twist on the standard fare. The staff were so delightful and of course my little man loved the attention – oh and so did my son!

While my little boy stared at the toddler at the next table, wondering no doubt why she was allowed to walk around and he wasn’t (he hasn’t quite worked out that he can’t walk), I enjoyed a good hot chocolate and scrambled eggs. Served with toasted pita bread, it wasn’t as over filling as often brunch can be.

Livingroom is a very family friendly space, there is plenty of space around the tables to negotiate a pram. Note that there are levels once inside and a step to actually enter the restaurant. We again brought our own highchair but they have some, as well as a children’s menu.

A Little Batch in the Neighbourhood

2008-06-14T14:27:00.005+10:00

Batch Espresso
Shop 1 / 329 Carlisle Street
Balaclava / St Kilda East, Victoria, Australia
open: everyday 8am-5pm, Friday dinner 6pm-late
+61 3 9530 3550

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? NA (outside only)

There’s something comforting about this little New Zealand ex-pat place. It’s cosy and warm on a chilly winter’s morn. We arrived at a decent-ish 8am hour on a public holiday and shared space with only a couple of other drowsy locals and frenetic pram-pushing mums. As we smiled consolingly, our little man started to pipe up making the pram-pushers fear for the snoozing of their cargo. Quickly we ordered and tried shoving cheese sticks at him.

The coffee here has been written up a number of times. I can understand why, even though I don’t drinking coffee anymore. It comes out exactly as I dream it would if I were to start again – thick creamy mocha froth and a rich tasting drink. Hubby was totally impressed. Meanwhile the hot chocolate was also made with love and care. I am a sucker, but I do appreciate the flowers and swirls on top.

As I said, it was early for some, so there wasn’t a long wait for our toast and eggs. I did have to quickly get a muffin from the counter though to keep the little prince satisfied. He loved the buttery goodness of the muffin and of course the toast.

It isn’t a massive place and we didn’t bring either a pram or the high chair. The banquet seating makes being with a relatively happy bub who can sit and stand, not too problematic. The staff were efficient and not too fussy. The food was also easy-going. Overall, Batch was a nice little comfortable space.

Touch the Ground Lightly

2008-06-13T13:55:00.005+10:00

Quiet Earth
257 Carlisle Street
East St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9525 8864

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?5/5
fast enough? 5/5
pram friendly? NA (outside only)

Well here is ambition. We all decided to go out to eat on a Friday evening before a public holiday. We decided to eat at a place with very little seating. Interesting.

Mind you, us eating dinner out is a 5.30 venture. So we pack ourselves up and hustle over to have pizza in Carlisle Street.

When we arrived the place was pretty much empty and the staff were very attentive. I brought my own high chair this time and they were fine with me strapping it to the chair. Not that little man lasted that long in it. He promptly fell for our waitress who encouraged him relentlessly!

Food arrived quickly and was as we remembered it. Our baby, who may remember it in utero, also enjoyed his first tastes of pizza, but was more concerned that ‘his’ waitress was now finding herself busy with other customers.

Indeed by 6.15 the place was packed and there were people waiting for seats. Customers around us were all very easy-going about our baby tornado but we decided to make a quick get-away.

Quiet Earth is a relaxed place with simple, yet small eating area. The service was friendly to our bub and quick. Possibly not a place to linger (as if, when did you last do that?) as it fills up very fast, but it was a convenient place to go out.

Good Things Come in Small Packages

2008-06-13T13:37:00.006+10:00

St Kilda Delicatessen
267 Barkly Street
St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 8538 9366
open: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? NA (outside only)

Two women, two 9 month old babies in two prams. Hmmm … not going to work. My friend kindly offered to leave hers outside because her little bundle is (a) more serene and (b) had already eaten lunch. So we squeeze our way in, glamorously dragging a chair or two in our wake.

Once seated and settled, having ordered drinks straight away, I try to get my little man interested in the veggie medley I had prepared earlier. But why would he? At such close quarters to everyone else, there is so much more fun to be had flirting with the two women in the far table or babbling shop to the man trying to enjoy a solitary lunch! Lucky for us, this is a baby-friendly suburb and this is the kind of place where everybody knows your name.

Again my friend, the picture of controlled motherhood, offers to get up and order for us while I try to control my very excited cherub. As you would expect from a delicatessen, there is a delicious selection of things to eat and stock up on so I order with the thought of ‘Oh, I’ll have that one next time’.

And next time there will be. The toasted sandwiches we ate were delicious – my little son seemed to take to it better than my home cooking! The atmosphere is pleasant and non-obtrusive, surprising given the smallness of the place. As long as you don’t mind the possibility of talking to your neighbour this is a fine local treat. Possibly leave the prams at home.

Picnic in the Park

2008-05-25T10:35:00.005+10:00

Picnic
2/60 Toorak Road
South Yarra, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9866 7988
open Mon-Wed 7am-5pm, Thurs-Fri 7am-4.30pm, Sat-Sun 8.30am-4.30pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?4/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? 3.5/5

Organising to meet a friend here, we texted ‘picnic, 60 toorak rd’. We waited for a while then ordered coffees. My husband wants it known that if you like your coffee strong, this is one of the best he’s had. Me, I can vouch for the hot chocolate – very yummy and in a very nice mug as well.

Perusing the menu, we called our friend who was puffed. According to him, if you type 60 Toorak Road into Google Maps, you get nearby Fawkner Park. He was looking for us, having a picnic somewhere in its 41 hectares! Quickly we set the poor soul straight and he arrived with a healthy appetite.

Picnic is one of those very good-looking places. The space is large and white and the people are beautiful. Everyone is wearing their sunglasses inside, the cutlery is delivered in individually wrapped paper sheaths and everything looks ‘just so’. Not necessarily sounding good for bubs?

Wrong! From the moment you enter, the staff are helpful and friendly. The tables are large and pram access is fine. The menu is large and interesting, there is also a cake and sandwich selection at the front counter. Oh, and did I mention you could just pick up some bread to take home as well?

Great food, service in a bright and airy place, there were a number of young families enjoying weekend breakfasts just like us. Just be sure to make sure your friends know you are picnic-ing inside not out!

Lava-licious

2008-05-25T10:26:00.005+10:00

Lava
219 Carlisle Street
St Kilda East, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9527 2205
open Mon-Fri 7am-5pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: N
friendly enough? 5/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? 3/5

Carlisle Street is actually quite a baby-friendly street. I had never really noticed that before, but the shops are easy to get into and you can pretty much do all your practical and fun shopping in one hit. Needless to say, coffee abounds.

Lava has actually become a family favourite for a number of reasons. It is a large and simple space, with a communal table at the front window and traditional café seating inside. Table spacing is good, so that you don’t feel like you are shoving your beautiful bundle of joy in everyone’s face.

The food is yum and easy going. Friends have commented that the Bircher that they serve there is superb. I can’t seem to get past the eggs. The real winner here are the staff though. They are without fail friendly, accommodating and nice to baby! You will often see families breakfasting here and it is no wonder.

Slightly Sour Grapes

2008-05-24T20:10:00.006+10:00

Grapeseed
1084 High Street
Armadale, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9500 2566
open Tues-Wed 9am-5pm, Thurs-Fri 9am-11pm, Sat 730am-11pm, Sun 8am-5pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough? 2/5
fast enough? 2/5
pram friendly? 3/5

A new kid on the block, eh? Just had to try it out of course. Located in the heartland of Armadale, it is a given that it would be a haven for tasty tots and yummy mummies. So it was with some excitement that I met with a couple of girlfriends and bubs for lunch.

For some insane reason, like most businesses on the street, it is not the easiest to get into with prams. After a bit of huffing and puffing to get through the closed doors, we were ushered through a slightly difficult maze of counter and tables to a refreshingly open back area.

Grapeseed is very busy over lunch. We didn’t feel spectacularly special there – except to each other of course! The menu is good and I must admit the food was excellent, if a little overpriced for what you get. For us though the main issue was speed – or lack there of. The service was slow. Not great for 3 babies strapped in prams. We ended up spending most of our lunch devising ways to entertain the disgruntled littlies while we waited.

It is a nice looking place and maybe we should have ignored the grizzles and had a glass of wine… or better yet, perhaps leave the kids and just meet the girlfriends.

More than a Foodstore

2008-05-24T19:35:00.010+10:00

The Armstrong Street Foodstore
30 Armstrong Street
Middle Park, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9690 4784
open Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 7am-5pm, Sun 8am-5pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: Y
change table: N
friendly enough? 3.5/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? 3/5

The Armstrong Street Foodstore is definitely one of a number of bub-friendly places in this family-friendly shopping strip. The outside tables allow for great people watching for you and bub and here you could get a number of prams in together for a lunch.

The selection of food is a visual feast at the counter and the service was genuinely nice and considerate to us. Perhaps what made this a very comfortable experience was that there were a couple of other families there with varying ages of children we could chat to and everyone was so relaxed. The only downside is having to go to the counter to order. Means it may be better going with a friend than on your own with bub.

Still, you get to have a great Sunday breakfast beachside ... almost leisurely, like before you had kids!

A Bit of the High Life

2008-05-23T15:31:00.010+10:00

Street Talk Café
710 High Street
East Prahran, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9509 9687
open Mon-Sat 8am-3.30pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough? 3/5
fast enough? 4/5
pram friendly? 2.5/5

An interesting and eclectic décor of Asian kitsch with a mouth-watering display of home-cooked goodies makes this a popular local hangout. Food is generous in servings, very reasonably priced, delicious and combines standard café fare with some Asian inspired twists. Inside there are a number of table that are possibly too close for pram comfort, and out on the street front, there are only a few tables.

So, it was with excitement that I heard that they opened up a rear courtyard. This gives large table areas and access via a rear laneway. Perfect for prams. Now I could easily bring my pram and meet friends with theirs for lunch. All seemed perfect that is, until I arrived with said friend also with pram, only to be left in the laneway because the staff couldn’t open the gate!

I am sure that this temporary loss of organization was an anomaly and I look forward to trying again…

Trendy Thai

2008-05-22T11:30:00.006+10:00

Thai Food To Go
141 Chapel Street
Windsor, Victoria, Australia
+61 3 9510 2112
open daily 11am-11pm

SUMMARY RATING
highchair: N
change table: N
friendly enough?5/5
fast enough? 5/5
pram friendly?3/5

Thai Food To Go looks like your old share house, with 1950s laminated tables and mismatched chairs. This retro bohemian chic look has a comfortable appeal. Warm and casual, the food here is comfortable and tasty. Making it a great place to catch up over an easy and delicious meal.

Importantly they are open throughout the day, making an early dinner possible. When it is busy, it is too difficult to get yourself and your pram in, but if you choose less trendy hours, there is more than enough room to share. The staff genuinely looked after us and baby and the meals arrived in record time, making this a great place to be out with bub.