When you are need to grab a coffee, catch up with your Mum’s group or even just head out with the family on the weekend for a bite to eat and a coffee it is great to know which are the best child friendly cafes around town. Well Darwin Family Life has done the work for you and rounded up the our top child friendly cafes in Darwin.
Our Top 8 Child friendly Cafes in Darwin
We have tried and tested many of these cafes or had them recommended to us by members of the Darwin Family Life Community Hub Facebook group. Feel free to join us in the group! Let us know if you have any other cafes to add to the list!
In no particular order here are the child friendly cafes in Darwin.
De La Plage
Located at: Darwin Surf Lifesaving Club – Daribah Road Brinkin
Opening hours: check their Facebook page
De La Plage is a great relaxed place right by the Casuarina beach. It is only open for most of the dry season but is a great spot to enjoy with your family or catch up with friends. Check their Facebook for opening hours as they do change. I love De La Plage as it has such a relaxed vibe, so many different seating options from rugs, bean bags to chairs and pallet furniture. Plus it is a great spot for the kids to run and enjoy the beach while you can enjoy a cuppa with your friends or partner. Check out our blog on De La Plage for some more info.
Photo credit Eva’s Botanic Gardens Cafe Facebook
Eva’s Botanic Gardens Cafe
Located at: George Brown Botanic Gardens
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 8 am till 3 pm
I love Eva’s Botanic Garden Cafe as one of our favourite child friendly cafes in Darwin as after a quick coffee and breakfast we can wander through the beautiful Botanic gardens and head to the kids playground area to let them run off some energy. There is a beautiful big tree house or the large log swing that my kids love. Or if you can venture up to the top car park area there is always the dinosaurs to check out. Eva’s has a great toy area to keep the kids entertained while you enjoy your cuppa and it has outdoors or indoor seating options to choose from. Check out our blog on the Botanic Gardens and Eva’s for some more information.
Photo credit Boatshed Coffee House and Cafe Facebook
Boatshed Coffee House and Cafe
Located at: 54-56 Marina Boulevard Cullen Bay
Opening hours: Tues-Thursday 7.30 am till 2.30pm, Fri – Mon 7.30 am till 11 pm
Their squids club playroom is a great spot to keep the kids busy. With endless movies, plenty of chalk and room to draw! One of my favourite things about going to the Boatshed Coffee house is the free fish feeding off the decks. A great activity to do with the family any day of the week.
Mosko’s Market
Located at: 1 Boulevard Palmerston (next to the Library)
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 6 am – 2 pm, Sat & Sun 7 am till 2 pm
Mosko’s Market is a great little cafe located right next to the Palmerston Library. I used to go to this cafe before the story Nursery time for bubs (Wednesdays 10 am) or Story times for 1-5 yr olds (Tues and Thursdays 10 am). The great thing I found about this cafe is the big open green lawn right next to the cafe. I would let my energetic twin boys run amok on the grass while I enjoyed a coffee.
Rainmaker Cafe
Located at: Zuccoli Shops off Zuccoli Parade
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday 7 am till 3 pm
This amazing cafe is located in the new Zuccoli shops complex. It has a great little area of toys to keep the little people busy and entertained. Also another fabulous thing about this cafe it is located right near the fenced playground (the William Kirby Jones AM Memorial Park).
So you could easily go for a play and enjoy the grassed areas after a coffee/breakfast/lunch catch up or grab a take away coffee and head to the playground.
Photo credit Salty Plum Cafe Facebook
Salty Plum Cafe
Located at: Drive along East Point Coastal Reserve
Opening hours: Sat 7.30 am – 2pm and then 5pm till 8pm. Sun 7.30am till 2pm dry season* check their facebook page if operating
Another perfect mobile cafe using our great Darwin beaches to their advantage! Salty Plum Cafe is set up along East Point Coastal reserve opposite the playground area. This pop up cafe only operates during the dry but it is a great relaxed vibe with bean bags right on the beach front. Let the kids run and enjoy the beach while you enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat.
The Foreshore Restaurant and Cafe
Located at: 255 Casuarina Drive Nightcliff
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 7 am till 10 pm
This has to be another firm favourite of child friendly cafes in Darwin for me! The Foreshore Restaurant and Cafe has stunning views of Nightcliff beaches and has such a relaxed vibe. There are chairs, bean bags and rugs on the lawn for your family to relax and enjoy. Or there is seating options on their verandah or inside. I love going to the cafe and grabbing a coffee or a bite to eat and then heading along the foreshore for a bike ride or walk with the kids. It is a beautiful bike track along there. There is connect four on the lawns and a little book swap library to keep the kids amused. Check out our blog on the Foreshore Restaurant and Cafe for some more information.
Photo credit The Hideout Cafe NT Facebook
The Hideout Cafe NT
Located at: 32 Georgina Crescent Yarrawonga
Opening hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 7 am – 6 pm, Tues & Thurs 6.30 am – 6pm, Sat 8 am – 12 noon
I stumbled across this Cafe as a recommendation but it looks amazing for groups of Mums to catch up! The Hideout Cafe in Yarrawonga has the Kids Shak area which has a great space for bubs and little ones. For 6 or more Mums in a group, bookings are required but they also have the main cafe area. Plenty of private parking, leave your prams in the car and get settled in with plenty of bouncers, toys and a change table at your fingertips.
We hope this blog has helped you find all the best cafes in Darwin to head to with your family! If there are any more fabulous ones that are family and child friendly please leave a comment or send us a message.
For some more Family friendly dining options check out our Kids Eat free blog. (Please check with venues that there deal is still happening – updates in process.)
Please check with each Cafe’s Facebook page or website for current operating hours. Some Cafe’s have various hours and will change.
Connect with Darwin Family Life via Website, Facebook page, Facebook Group and Instagram
