Babycino's

Basic Info:

Name: Babycino's

Address: Northampton Place, South Yarra
Phone: 0402 333 671
Website: NA

Opening Hours:

Open 7 days, 9am - 5pm

Little Eats ‘soundbite review':

A backyard haven for parents and little ones. The kid’s are top priority here with an amazing play area, toys galore, changing facilities, highchairs, room for prams, lots of little eats for the little ones... the list just goes on!

Highchair: Yes
Change table: Yes
Pram access: Yes
Separate kids menu: Yes

Normal menu suitable for kids: Yes
Friendly staff: Yes
Play area for kids: Yes
Activities provided for kids (eg: crayons): Yes - heaps!
Vibe/atmosphere: Relaxed, casual, fun, homely and just a touch quirky
Prices: Good

Other: Available for kid's birthday parties and mother's groups.

Little Eats detailed review:

In other cafe reviews I often talk about lovely, chilled out courtyards out the back of a cafe, that feel as if you could almost be in someone’s backyard. Well, at Babycino’s cafe you literally are in someone’s backyard! Seriously!

Mum of two, Marguerite, looked high and low for a suitable venue to open a kid-friendly cafe, when the perfect option was staring her right in the face all along - her very own backyard.

Located on busy Punt Road, but with a back entrance off a much quieter side street and then in through the backyard gate off the lane, Babycino’s is providing Melbourne families with a very kid-friendly place to go.

This is not your traditional cafe, and has a very community feel to it, almost part cafe part community centre. It’s very casual, very relaxed, very laidback and is a little bit quirky, a little bit crazy and a little bit messy... just like a family’s backyard should be.

Our toddler was in absolute heaven as there’s a play area, with fort, swings, slide and a rock-climbing wall as well as cubby houses and a sandpit. Everything a little one could possibly want in a backyard play area... and everything we unfortunately cannot give in our inner city courtyard. How lucky we are to have Babycino’s just a hop, skip and a jump away.

Other fun toys for the tots include a mini kitchen complete with pots, pans and utensils, ride on toys, plenty of dolls (including one that looked very much like our little one’s “Lola” and nearly came home with us too), books, puzzles, mini prams and strollers, paper, crayons and pens. Our little one particularly enjoyed filling up the watering cans and watering the pretty flowers scattered throughout the garden.

Then there all those other amenities, that help make life oh so easier for us parents. There’s highchairs (6 in fact), bumbo seats, a fold down changing table, a toilet with kids toilet seat for those being potty trained, plenty of room for prams, emergency baby wipes and nappy sacks, plenty of free car-parking located right next door (almost unheard of in the City of Stonnington) and if you are running a bit low on cashola, there is even an ATM onsite... located in Marguerites laundry! What a classic. Love it!

The coffee is organic, the eggs are free range from Marguerite’s Dad’s farm and most of the food is made using fresh, organic ingredients. There are plenty of lunch options including salads, arancini, sandwiches, omelettes, toasties, and often different daily specials that Marguerite whips up including quesadillas.

If you are just popping in for a coffee and a treat, then there are cupcakes, biscuits, slices, muffins and dessert specials like hot apple crumble and cream, or crepes and ice-cream. There is also a varied menu for the kidlets, with everything from toasties, to mini cupcakes, to fairy bread, to mashed banana and avocado for the very wee ones.

Our little ones babycino looked mighty fine and came complete with all the trimmings of mini marshmallows and complimentary little gingerbread man on the side.

This place certainly is unique and I must say, is very different to all the cafes we usually review. It’s a tad quirky, a tad kooky, is an interesting concept to get your head around, and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. However what it is, is a relaxed and casual environment, where Mum’s, parents and carers can relax over a nice cuppa or a bite to eat and not have to worry while their little ones can have a ball playing in a happy, fun and loving environment... just as if you were in someone’s own backyard. Oh wait, you actually are!