Kid Friendly Cafes & Restaurants NZ

So where's your favourite kid friendly cafes and restaurants around NZ? Places to eat with young kids

Check out these suggestions and reviews from parents on kid friendly cafes and restaurants that'll make dining out that little bit easier.

We’d love to hear your recommendations about places to eat with young kids too, anywhere in NZ, even if your region isn't currently listed.

Just email us at info@under5s.co.nz with details of your favourite cafes and restaurants.

Eating out with young kids can sometimes be a challenge, but don't let that stop you. Read our article for some great tips - 5 Tips on eating out with young kids.
 

Kid friendly cafes & restaurants

Here is a list of kid friendly cafes and restaurants that we've received so far. Places to eat with young kids:
 

• Auckland
• Dunedin
• Rotorua
• Tauranga
• Wellington

 

Auckland kid friendly cafes & restaurants

Birkenhead

Bungalow Cafe

• It's good if you get the separate room (plenty of room for pushchairs and capsules, etc). If you're in the main part of the cafe you take up a lot of room if there is more than two or three of you with equipment. Also Bungalo doesn't have changing facilities(!) Suzanne

Hinemoa St Organic Cafe

• I found the staff very friendly and helpful. And the food is awesome too! Joanne

Tongue & Groove Cafe

• Good during summer/good weather, but otherwise it's a squeeze if there are more than a couple of you with equipment. Tracey

 

Botany

Daruma Ramen & Daruma Sushi

• The kids meals are reasonably priced and they come in a tray shaped like a train. When they bring the kids meals out they blow a train whistle. They also have high chairs /boosters available. We love going there as a family. Have been dining there for the last 5 years. Praveena

 

Coatesville

Fernielea Licensed Cafe

• Can recommend. It has an indoor & outdoor play area. Jessica

Devonport

The Stone Oven

• Welcomes kids and has play area down the back. Laura

Forrest Hill

Kings Plant Barn

• Good. Easy parking, plenty of space around the tables. They have two indoor areas and an undercover outdoor area. Tracey

Glen Eden

Humbug Cafe

• Good. Easy parking, plenty of space around the tables. They have two indoor areas and an undercover outdoor area. Tracey

Karaka

Urban Soul

• Urban Soul on Hingaia Road Karaka has a courtyard out the back with a children's play area, including a shed full of toys and ride-on toys. They also give colouring pencils and paper and there is a small box of toys for indoors. Joanna

CCT Lavender Farm & Cafe

• Has a great outdoor and indoor playground with lots of space for children. You don't have to pay the lavender farm entry to go access the cafe and play area. Joanna

Better Way Cafe

• Better Way Café on Bremner Road, Auranga is a bit exposed for cold and wet days, but has a performance box with toys and books for kids, a glasshouse/box with bean bags. It pays to check their social media to see if they are open as sometimes they close when there is a lot of wind or rain. There is an outdoor toilet but it is always clean. Joanna

Mangere

Percy

• Percry café near the airport has as an outdoor playground, and children's meals. They sometimes have children's meal is free. Also they give colouring pencils with the children's menu for colouring in. Joanna

 

Mairangi Bay

Cafe Windsor

• Got to be the Windsor Cafe! Voted most breastfeeding friendly cafe. Carole

• Windsor Park Cafe, Auckland. Suzanne

• Easy parking and TONS of room for pushchairs/capsules and to put a blanket on the floor, as well as outdoor play stuff for older kids. Good changing facilities. Tracey

Mt Wellington

Filly

• Filly at Sylvia Park has a children's menu, colouring pencils and menu to draw on, and is next to a mostly covered but not entirely wet-day proof playground. Joanna

 

Onehunga

Bean There Café

• Bean There Café has on-site car parking, plus lovely couch and play area. Great for parents and children (plus has a coffee & muffin/scone for $6). Amanda

Onehunga Café

• Onehunga Café has a good children’s space. Amanda

Paerata

Rise 'n Shine

• Rise 'n' Shine Cafe in Paerata Rise has an amazing outdoor playground. The food is very expensive and the coffee not so awesome but it is worth it for the playground. There is a sports field, a playground and a water play area which is wonderful in summer. They also have icecreams and Community events. Joanna

Red Shed Palazzo

• Red Shed Palazzo on Jesmond Road on the way to Paerata, has markets on the weekend, outdoor tire swings, a hedge maze and space for children to run around. Joanna

 

Ponsonby

One 2 One Cafe

• A piece of quiet in busy Ponsonby. Small court yard with sandpit for the kids. Carol

• Went here today based on recommendation on the site - yes it does have a sand pit - That’s about all it has going for it. Out the back where the sandpit is all looks very tired, with slightly battered and dirty highchairs. And the food was very poor. I think you'd be better off going to other good eateries on Ponsonby Road and just take own toys! Catherine

 

Pukekohe

Caterpillar Cafe

• Caterpillar Cafe is outside the Pukekohe library. They have a small play area with books and toys. Joanna

Muffin Break

• Muffin Break in Pukekohe Plaza has a play pen full of toys. Joanna

  

Takanini

Columbus Cafe at Mitre10 Takanini

• The cafe has a great outdoor covered playground, fully fenced in the garden centre area. Joanna

Kings Plant Barn Takanini

• The cafe has an indoor play room full of toys. They also have a wall of books to read. Joanna

 

Takapuna

Tiger Coffee

• Barrys Point Rd. Heaps of room for prams. Bit slow on the service side though so best to go to for a coffee and muffin catch up rather than lunch. Tiger also have a separate room that can be booked. Rebekah

 

Titirangi

Park Road Kitchen

• Park Road Kitchen has a separate toy area with lovely wooden blocks and cars, low chairs and sofas and a lovely selection of in store baked goods and brunch food. Laura

Stripe Café

• Stripe Café has an undercover sandpit, room to take a dog if you fancy too. Also a great selection of sweet and savoury food. Laura

Westmere

Garnet Station

• A great cafe for kids set in a villa, has a homely area at the back with toys and feels like your own lounge. Also an outdoor area. Laura

• I just visited a café which I found on your website, Garnet Station. As described on your website, it is like a house so plenty of room for toddlers to wander round and a good lounge area with a few toys. Food and coffee was also great. Unfortunately there were a couple of disappointing factors, the main seating is up 3 stairs, there is no other access for prams. The barista kindly offered to help carry the pram but it wasn’t ideal. There are no baby changing facilities, well none that I could locate which for a child friendly café seemed a bit bizarre. We were there at lunchtime on a Thursday and the café was empty which was fantastic because my little 19 month could wonder round. I did however find it uncomfortable when the waitress started picking up the few blocks that my little girl had pulled out and redoing the cushions saying it was important the place looked tidy. Clearly this woman had no kids and come on, a few cushions…really. Would I go back? Not in a great hurry. I think there are better options out there which cater better to the needs of unders 5’s. Taran

 

Dunedin kid friendly cafes & restaurants

Arc Brewing

• Only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday but it's a cool place. There are toys and lots of room to play with them. Food is supplied by various food trucks and the drinks are great. Gareth

Coffee Culture Roslyn

• There is a toy area and it's set in an old fire station which is pretty cool.
  Gareth

Glenfalloch Gardens Cafe

• Our boy loves this place. There's a play kitchen setup in the middle, a trampoline outside and gardens to explore. The food is really good too. Gareth

Governor's Cafe

• There is a gated toy room, it's awesome. The food and coffee are great and they have specials like 2-4-1 pancakes on Wednesday and Thursdays. Gareth

 

Rotorua kid friendly cafes & restaurants

Abracadabra Cafe

• It has an outdoor area with a playhouse. Great with toddlers! Kylie

Cobb & Co

• Excellent for the kids. Even a play area and makes life easy for kids to be happy while you eat. Great food and staff. Jane

Lone Star

• Great for kids dinner. Has a good kids menu. Stephanie

 

Tauranga kid friendly cafes & restaurants

Play Cafe

• I found this cafe when a friend came to visit. Set up well for babies and young children and caters for mother's groups, coffee groups and birthday parties. Sam

 

Wellington kid friendly cafes & restaurants

Kingsbear Café & Rag - Petone

• Kinderbear where it’s for mums, actually only mums are really there and there’s a playground for the children inside. Maria

Southern Cross Bar & Café - Te Aro

• I recommend Southern Cross in Wellington. Anita

• Agree Anita! Plus they have cheerios on the menu! Child Friendly and Adult friendly! Kylie

---

 

This content is not intended to mislead. The mention of any third parties does not necessarily imply a recommendation by Under 5s or endorse the views expressed within them.
^{Image source: thejournal.ie}