The Cottage

Basic Info:

Name: The Cottage
Address: 359 Pakington St, Newtown
Phone: 03 5229 1599
Website: NA

Opening Hours:

Monday to Saturday - 8am - 4pm

Sunday - 8.30am - 4pm

Little Eats ‘soundbite review’:

The Cottage is a pretty hip and happening place on the hip and happening Pakington Street strip. Set in an old weatherboard cottage with a fabulous outdoor space at the rear, it manages to tick all the boxes when it comes to family dining. Quality food, decent coffee, Little Golden Books and enough space to drown out the noises of little tots – win-win really!

Highchair: Yes
Change table: No
Pram access: Yes
Separate kids menu: Yes
Normal menu suitable for kids: Yes
Friendly staff: Yes
Play area for kids: Not dedicated, but there is lots of outdoor space
Activities provided for kids (eg: crayons): Yes - Little Golden Books, pencils, blackboard
Vibe/atmosphere: Casual, trendy, popular

Prices: Reasonable-ish

Little Eats detailed review:

When the staff at The Cottage hand you a menu inside a Little Golden Book, you are pretty sure that they’ve got the kid welcome mat out. Once you get through the obligatory reading of Grover’s Christmas then little eats can get stuck into the ‘Grommets’ menu which is full of the usual suspects including ham and cheese toasties and pancakes as well as the cute ‘kids conquer la cottage’ big breakfast option. The chocolate milkshakes hit the mark at being size appropriate and the bubbacinos come with a side order of marshmallows.

There is a bit of dude-ish vibe at The Cottage with the uber-cool set meandering in for the all day breakfast. The wait staff are all pretty groovy in skinny black jeans but their friendliness counterbalances any notion of hipsterness. But it is the gorgeous courtyard out back that lends itself to such a relaxed vibe for families. It is set around a cute pond with goldfish, large wire tables with chairs made comfy with patches of fake grass and little blankets to take off any chill. There are umbrellas, outdoor heaters, a lovely big chiminea, fairy lights, garden artwork and music playing through the trees. Dog bowls are provided for canine cafe hoppers and the retro salt and pepper pots all add to the vibe. And as the courtyard is set upon pebbles you don’t really notice any mess on the ground although this can make it tricky to push a pram through.

It was a gloriously beautiful and sunny winter’s day when my three girls and I descended upon The Cottage at midday on match day at the nearby Geelong FC home stadium. Being heavily pregnant and without the moral support of my partner in crime who was working a farmers market, I was definitely apprehensive about my patience levels and the sometimes slow service that occurs at The Cottage. But despite the large crowd in navy blue and white scarves, service was slick and the girls were well behaved, hungry enough to eat well, occupied in the courtyard and I had a really, really lovely experience.

On the way out we happened upon the home made slices, sweet and savoury muffins. But it was the Ginger Ninjas that won out in the end and the three girls wandered back out into the sunshine with big smiles on their faces.

All in all The Cottage is a great place for families and pretty much has all the amenities to keep little ones entertained and adults satisfied with decent food. The coffee is Piazza d’Oro which I usually dislike but there is some seriously talented baristas on site as the coffee always tastes great. And they’re licensed too so if you need a beer with the Yankee Wagyu Cheeseburger that comes with fries in those old school paper cups with the newspaper print, then you’re set. Happy families, indeed.

This special guest review was written by Anna Spurling - fellow foodie, Geelong local, Mamma of 3 gorgeous girls and a new little baby boy, and co-owner of artisan bread company La Madre.