The Best Kid-Friendly Cafes in Auckland (as voted by me and my 3 year old)
Auckland is pretty well known for its vibrant cafe culture, but it can be hard to find a kid-friendly cafe that will entertain your kid(s) long enough for you to enjoy your coffee while it’s still hot, especially if you’re not a local or you’re in a part of Auckland you’re not familiar with.
We’ve spent a lot of time checking out different cafes across Auckland over the years (the need for caffeine in those early days was very real), and now I want to share some of our favourites with you! Whether it’s got a cool play area, a dedicated kids' menu, or something else that makes it stand out, these cafes won’t let you down if you’re out and about with your kids.
64 King Edward Parade, Devonport, Auckland 0624
Situated at the Navy Museum, Torpedo Bay Café offers so much more than just a coffee shop. The cafe's location has the most beautiful views of the harbour for you to enjoy while your kids play in the small outdoor play area, and you can enjoy an unhurried family brunch or coffee. Once you’re done eating and drinking, the museum is a fun activity to pop into afterwards for a bit of local history, and it’s free for Auckland residents! Make sure you don’t miss the kid’s room inside - it has books, colouring, and often some fun crafts or activities for your little ones to enjoy.
1 Ripeka Lane, Whenuapai, Auckland 0618
Tucked away in a newly developed part of Auckland, The Park House is such a great family-friendly find. With outdoor seating at the cafe (as well as picnic tables and benches by the playground), you can relax and watch your kids play at the (full-sized) playground right outside! The playground is great for most ages, with things for toddlers as well as older kids, and it is fenced the whole way around the roadside. On the other side, there is a huge field for running around, playing ball sports, or spreading out a picnic blanket on a nice day.
16 Jonah Lomu Drive, Paerata Road, Karaka 2124
We stumbled across this place while out south one day, and I’m so stoked we did! Rise N Shine Café is possibly one of the BEST kid-friendly cafes in Auckland, with its vibrant atmosphere, dedicated kid-friendly menu, and wicked playground outside. Inside there are lots of seating areas to choose from, and the menu is great - plus the food is delicious. The playground has things for all ages, but one of the standouts for us was the awesome water play - make sure to have a towel and change of clothes for your kids if you are heading here!
143 Carlton Gore Road, Newmarket, Auckland 1023
Nestled in the heart of Auckland city, Gilli Café offers something for kids that not many other cafes do - a whole dedicated upstairs play space! There is a ball pit with slides and climbing walls, soft play, and an imagination role-play area with loads to keep your kids occupied. The menu is also really great, and they have a dedicated kids’ menu as well. The only negative for us was that you can’t watch your kids play while you eat and drink, as there is nowhere upstairs to sit (it’s literally all play space!). We had a play while waiting for our food, and then again before we left so it wasn’t a big issue, but perhaps not as handy if you have smaller kids who need supervision.
619 New North Road, Morningside 1021
Peel to Pip is another great central Auckland option, and while its not huge, the little play space is super cute! It’s a little shop/cafe set up, and our toddler played happily for such a long time here. We only got coffee, but the fluffy (babyccino) comes in a little egg cup which we all thought was super cute and something a bit different.
108 Sunnybrae Road, Hillcrest, Auckland 0627
Patch is such a gem in what can otherwise feel like quite an industrial area, and it’s always super popular. The food is amazing (the cabinet food always looks incredible), and there is a little play space down the back for smaller kids. They also offer colouring, which might be a better option for older kids, as the play space seems to be designed with toddlers in mind. If you are going to check it out - there are parking spaces behind the cafe, so make sure to keep an eye out for the driveway around the back!
8/14 Henderson Valley Road, Henderson, Auckland 0612
Whoa! Studios isn't actually a cafe; it's a theatre company and charitable organisation offering live family-friendly performances, and it just also happens to have a cafe/restaurant on site. They also have an outdoor playground that is right next to the outdoor seating area of the cafe, so you can enjoy your food and drink while keeping a close eye on your kids. If you’re a coffee drinker like me, the coffee is great, and the play area is really fun for kids, with a pirate ship, a rocket ship, and a huge bouncy web to explore, there is definitely a lot of fun to be had for everyone.
1404 Coatesville Riverhead Highway, Kumeū 0892
Boric Food Market is, as the name would suggest, a very cool (trendy) food market. Think Whole Foods kind of vibes. But there is also a small coffee shop inside, with a huge outdoor seating area, and a cool farm-style playground for your kids to explore. The outdoor space needs a bit of love, and although it felt pretty basic to me, my toddler had a great time checking everything out and had a lot of fun. Plus if you are visiting in summer, it’s right down the road from one of the best strawberry picking places in Auckland (Good Planet)!
10 Tom Pearce Drive, Auckland Airport, Auckland 2022
I don’t think many people know that you can use the cafe at Butterfly Creek, without having to actually go to Butterfly Creek (or pay for entry) - when you enter, instead of turning right to buy tickets and enter Butterfly Creek, you turn left and you’re in the cafe! The cafe has lots of menu options, but more importantly, it has a full-sized, fenced playground, and as a bonus - some free-range chickens roaming around! It’s not the best for super small kids (although they might enjoy the birds), but if you have older kids and want to catch up with friends, this is a really great option. Plus if you’re lucky you might get to see some planes taking off and landing (as it’s right by the international airport!).
100 Colonial Road, Chatswood, Auckland 0626
I hate to give it this title, but this is definitely the most “Instagramable” of the cafes mentioned so far. Overlooking the scenic Chelsea Bay, with views of the harbour bridge and Auckland city, this cafe has a pretty awesome location. It’s in the old Chelsea Sugar Factory (which is pretty iconic in itself), and the food is amazing. Outside there is a small play area for kids, with a few picnic tables and a grassy lawn to play on, and in the cafe, you can choose from several indoor or outdoor spots to sit (none of which overlook the playground). There is also an interactive kids’ room inside, with colouring, puzzles, and interactive cake-making activity where you have to choose the correct items and measure and weigh them. There’s definitely something here to keep most kids happy!
547 Te Atatu Road, Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland 0610
The Delicious Café in Te Atatū Peninsula is another great spot for kids. The outdoor play area did look like it needed some TLC, but there was enough to keep kids entertained long enough for you to enjoy a coffee in peace, and they also had a range of books and colouring for indoor activities.
321a Main Road, Huapai 0810
BlendNZ is definitely one of the best for small babies and toddlers, as not only do they have a playpen with loads of activities, but they also offer a free sensory session for toddlers every Tuesday! When we went here, we got to papier-mâché balloons that we could then paint and turn into a little bowl once they had dried - how cool! I also love doing sensory things like this in a dedicated space, because I’m not a fan of the mess at home. If you live locally this would be such an awesome spot to go to weekly, and they also do the most delicious smoothie bowls - what’s not to love?!
I always loved Auckland's cafe culture before becoming a parent, but I am so grateful that there are cafes like these that are kid-friendly, and enable me to still enjoy my daily coffee with my little one in tow. These spots are only a small number of the awesome kid-friendly cafes in Auckland, and they all offer something different for different ages and stages. If you are after a full list of options across Auckland, you can check out my digital map “Roaming Auckland” - it has over 150+ of our favourite cafes, playgrounds, walks, and other kid-friendly spots in Auckland. Or come say hi on Instagram or TikTok @renataroaming - I always love to hear from you!
