Blueskin Nurseries Cafe

Address 
2 Harvey St, Waitati 9085

Opening hours
Monday - Friday 8.30am-4pm
Saturday & Sunday 8.30am-4.30pm

Website http://www.blueskinnurseries.co.nz/

Accessibility 
Free parking in car park 
Outdoor and inside seating options
Accessible with a pushchair

Features  

Free standing highchair available.
Magazines to read
Breakfast and lunch menu
Gluten free and dairy free options
Kids menu

Cost
Coffee - Small $4.50 Large $5

Hot chocolate Small $4 Large $5     

Fluffy - $1.90
Kids Hot Chocolate - $4

Near by activities 
Blueskin nursery
Estuary and Opeki coastal walk
Doctors Point Beach
Blueskin Lagoon
Warrington beach
Orokonui Ecosanctuary

Review 
Mid week we stopped in at the Blueskin Cafe which is found inside the Blueskin Nurseries in Waitati. The Blueskin Nursery has a reputation for quality plants and trees and they pride themselves on sustainabiltity. The cafe has a large outdoor seating area which flows onto the garden centre. This can be accessed with a pushchair if necessary -Master Benji decided to fall asleep minutes before we arrived so we popped him into the pushchair while Miss Tilly enjoyed walking through the plants to the cafe.

Miss Tilly enjoying her fluffy.

Upon arriving at the cafe with the kiddies, the cafe had an easy going atmosphere and the staff were welcoming. All the food is made onsite with fresh produce they grow themselves or source from local suppliers. Breakfast and Lunch menus are available in addition to cabinet food. 
(Catering is also available for those special occasions).
We enjoyed our well deserved organic Koha Bean coffees after a long night trying to get the kiddies to sleep in the Dunedin heat!
To complete our coffee date the kids loved strolling around the garden centre looking at all the plants and garden ornaments.

The Blueskin cafe definitely ticked the boxes for child friendliness. Just a 20 minute drive from town this would be perfect for the next family outing. With numerous walks nearby, this garden centre/cafe combination is an ideal destination.

Master Benji enjoying the garden.

The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro Queenstown

Address 
Sugar Lane, Frankton Marina 

Opening hours
Monday - Sunday 8am - 5pm
Private venue hire for evenings

Website http://www.boatshedqueenstown.com

Accessibility 
Free parking outside and surrounding areas. 

Features  

Free standing highchair available.
Change table in disabled toilets.
Accessible with a pushchair (no stairs).
Breakfast and Lunch menu.
Gluten free options.
Cabinet and menu food.
Egg, Bacon and Chicken all free range, herbs from their own kitchen garden.
Colouring book and pencils for entertainment.

Kids menu.

Cost
Coffee - $4.20

Hot chocolate $4.70      

Fluffy - $2
Kids Hot Chocolate - $3.50

Near by activities 
Frankton arm walkway.
Queenstown Event Centre (5min drive).

Review 
Surrounded by the Remarkable Mountains and situated on the Frankton Arm of Lake Wakatipu you will find the cosy comforts of The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro. As you walk down the gravel path there are an array of  seating options which will suit most dining conditions, from the courtyard with wood fire oven, to the sheltered lawn and bean bag area, at the front you will find a lake side deck with mountain views, covered conservatory as well as cosy inside nooks with a wood fire feature for those chilly winter central days.

We snuck into The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro on a stunning sunny morning after completing the 10km of the Queenstown Marathon, we thought we would treat ourselves to a snack and soak up some sun on the waterfront deck.  The scrumptious healthy food options, and Allpress coffee was just what we needed! 

This cafe is easily accessible with prams, they provide kids menu and colouring books with pencils for entertainment. The lawn and bean bag area gives you space to let your wildings run around or simply explore the garden. From the deck area there is access to the lake so be careful letting your little ones wander too far, unless you have packed towels ;)

Why would you need to be anywhere else? with the views that surround The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro you can easily lose track of time in the
 comfortable relaxed atmosphere with friendly attentive service, The Boat Shed Cafe & Bistro is a place you can really sit back and enjoy.

Plato Cafe

Address 
2 Birch Street, Dunedin 

Opening hours
Lunch Wednesday-Saturday 12pm-2pm
Dinner Monday- Sunday 6pm-Late
Brunch Sunday 11- 2pm

Website http://www.platocafe.co.nz/

Accessibility 
Free parking outside and surrounding areas. 
Limited street parking during work hours. 

Features  

Free standing highchair available.
Accessible with a pushchair (no stairs).
No change table in toilets but plenty of space.

Toys on request.

Dinner, Lunch and Brunch menu. 
Cheese on toast and other options available for kids on request.

Cost

Coffee - $4

Hot Chocolate $4.50      

Fluffy - FREE

Near by activities 
Toitu Early Settlers Muesum
Chinese Gardens
Farmers Market on Saturdays 

Review 

Sick of the rain and wanting a change of scenery we decided to check out Plato cafe and see what they had to offer. Located on Birch St on the harbour front away from the hustle and bustle of town, Plato cafe has a fun and relaxed atmosphere with its cheery, quirky decor. 

Upon arriving we were greeted by a friendly waitress who was very accomodating and assisted with a highchair and some books and toys for master Benji.
With an emphasis on seafood they have a dinner, lunch and brunch menus as well as their own beer "Birch St Brewery". 

Master Benji enjoying the books & toys

We enjoyed our Common Ground coffees and superb lunches. The price of lunches was on the more expensive side but you definitely got value for your money. They use fresh ingredients and try to source local ingredients.

Plato has a bright and peppy atmosphere created by its cheerful staff, collection of outlandish decor which made for a lovely place for lunch on a wet Dunedin day.

We would definitely recommend checking out Plato cafe whether it be for a coffee, lunch with the kids or a nice romantic dinner ;) 

Portobello Mushrooms

Seafood Chowder

Dog With Two Tails Cafe & Bar

Address 
25 Moray Place, Dunedin

Opening hours
Monday 8am-4pm
Tuesday-Friday 8am-Late
Saturday 9am-Late
Sunday 10.30am-3pm

Website http://www.dogwithtwotails.co.nz/

Accessibility 
Paid parking located outside the cafe and surrounding areas, although being in Moray Place it can be busy.
Accessible with a pushchair (no stairs) ramp to toilet. 

Features  
Two clip on highchairs available by request.
Toy trolly for entertainment.
Couch, table, inside and roadside seating options.
Magazines.
Dietary preferences on request as all meals made on site.
Free range eggs and meat.

Cost

Coffee - $4.20

Hot Chocolate - $5.50

Fluffy -$1

Near by activities 
Public Library 
Public Art Gallery 
Rialto Cinemas

Review

Tucked away on Moray Place, just a short walk from the Octagon, we stopped in at Dog With Two Tails Cafe on a rainy morning after storytime at the library. 
The cafe was buzzing, full of people trying to get in their midday fix, which made for a slight wait for our home roasted coffee and yummy treats - but good things take time. There was a selection of cabinet food, as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner menus available. As the food is made on site, most dishes can be adapted to suit dietary preferences. The cafe recently won best cafe at the Hospitality New Zealand Awards 2016.






















Delightful entertainment was provided by a little train which chugs its way around the entire cafe. A real novelty for kids and adults!

Space is at a premium due to the long narrow layout of the cafe. This became more apparent as the lunch time rush filed in. Not ideal with kids in prams as was somewhat rudely pointed out to us by one member of staff.   
The rest of the staff were very welcoming and helpful.

Dog with two tails has an eclectic style with a fun whimsical feel. It provides a great environment to catch up with friends or alternatively enjoy a date night and support local musicians during their regular live music slots. Taking the little ones for coffee wasn't the most relaxing experience at lunch time, however we would recommend checking out Dog with Two Tails cafe with the kids at an off peak time - or better still treat yourself while the kids are with Nana ;)

What it lacks in girth it more than makes up for with
great coffee that really hits the spot.

Emerson's Taproom & Restaurant

Address 
70 Anzac Ave, Dunedin

Opening hours
Sunday - Wednesday 10am - 8pm
Thursday - Saturday 10am - 12am

Website http://www.emersons.co.nz/

Accessibility 
Free off street parking right outside the restaurant
Accessible with a pushchair (no stairs) plenty of inside tables for dining and couches for casual catch ups. Outside seating also available.

Features  
Two freestanding highchairs.
Change table located in the disabled toilet.
Toy box and colouring in pencils available on request for entertainment.
Kid friendly menu with Gluten free options.
Bar snacks, Brunch n Lunch, from 5pm onwards Sharing Plates, Mains & Desserts. Gluten free options available. 

Cost

Coffee - $4

Hot Chocolate - $4.50

Fluffy -$1.50

Near by activities
Forsyth Barr Stadium
Logan Park
Harbour Walking tracks

Review

We often head to Emerson's for coffee catch up with friends who work in the area. It's convenient with the free off street parking and has plenty of space for kids and pushchairs. Emerson's brand new venue opened in July, it is a large and spacious warehouse styled restaurant which offers dining table, booth and couch seating options. 

We made ourselves at home on the comfy couches which was a great set up for our lunch time catch up.

The staff were helpful and accommodating which made for a relaxed lunch. The food and coffee was delicious, our go to choice has been the Jerk chicken soft tacos YUM. They also have gluten free options and a kids menu.

Toys and colouring pencils were available on request if you needed something to entertain the kids with. They have two free standing highchairs and a fold down change table with a safety strap which is located in the disabled toilets.

Comfy couches.

Emerson's Taproom & Restaurant is located within walking distance of the Stadium, Logan Park and Harbour walking tracks so there are plenty of reasons to stop by for a coffee or a bite to eat with the kids.

Even though it is predominately a restaurant and bar, Emerson's is accomodating of kids and is worth the visit to check out the new premises if you already haven't. 

Why not take the kids along for a fluffy or put it on your list for the next date night ;)

We will definitely be back to get our Jerk chicken tacos fix.

Master Benji chilling in his highchair.

The Perc Cafe

Address
142 Stuart Street, Dunedin 

Opening hours
Monday-Friday
7am-4pm
Saturday - Sunday 
8am-4pm

Website http://www.perc.co.nz/#perc 

Accessibility 
Paid street parking - be warned, being close to the Octagon it can be very hard to find parking. 

Spacious seating

Pram friendly cafe, right up to tables.

Features  
Two freestanding highchairs.
Change table located at the back of the cafe, outside unisex toilets.
Toy box provided for entertainment.
Magazines to help relax.
Cabinet snacks, slices, fresh salads as well as Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch menu.
Free range - Eggs, Chicken and Pork.
Gluten free dietary options.
No specific kids menu however a variety of options can be adapted.

Cost

Coffee - Small $4 Large $4.50

SO many treats

Hot Chocolate - Small $4 Large $4.50

Fluffy - $2

Nearby activities
Public Library
Public Art Gallery
Rialto Cinema 
Early Settlers Museum 

Review

Mix and match salads

After taking the kiddies to 'Story Time' at the Public Library we stopped in at The Perc Cafe. Located within walking distance from the Library, it had a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and was conveniently accessible for pushchairs, and had ample seating for both large and small groups.

To help the adults relax there were magazine's to peruse on the tables, perfect if you wanted to have a quiet coffee and read with a sleeping baby in tow.

Our kids however were awake and hungry after their trip to the library. The toy box helped to entertain them while we got their food ready. 
Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch menus available as well as cabinet food, yummy scones, muffins, slices and delicious salads. No specific kids menu but Miss Tilly and Master Benji helped to devour most of our salads as well as their own food we brought with us, little piglets.

Chocolate fluffy

The fluffies were chocolate flavoured which came as a surprise, these could be a nice treat for those extra special occasions. Plain milk fluffies are available on request. We enjoyed the Allpress coffees which helped us survive the afternoon.

A change table was located outside the unisex toilets, there are a few steps that lead up to the toilet area so leave the pushchair in the cafe.

By providing a homely feel with spacious 6x seater dining tables, magazines, toy boxes, a varied menu and cabinet snacks full of tasty tempting dishes, The Perc Cafe has created an environment which is pleasing to parents and welcoming to little ones.