Looking for somewhere to grab a cup of coffee with the kids in tow, mama? We’ve rounded up the best cafés in the city for families, with play areas, reading corners, and free babycinos in abundance! And the best bit? They all serve a pretty good cup of coffee too…
Got a little book worm to entertain? BookMunch on Al Wasl Square is the place to head, mama. Here you can combine a great cup of coffee with the chance to get stuck into a few books with your littlies, which definitely makes a change from the usual crayons and colouring offering in cafes around town. In fact, the walls of this charming café are lined with books – from adult tomes to kid’s stories – and you are invited to help yourself as you sip mugs of coffee and peruse the menu of yummy bites. And if you fall in love with a book? No need to leave without it, as you can make purchases too.
BookMunch Café, Al Wasl Square on Al Wasl Road, Opposite Al Reef Lebanese Bakery (+971) (0)4 388 4006 www.bookmunchcafe.com
Bystro, a Sassy Mama favourite ticks all the boxes, mama. The café does a great cup of coffee, serves fantastic food, and has plenty to keep little tummies happy (the mini pancakes definitely deserve a mention). Not only that, but there’s a small play area with toys and books that will keep tots entertained while you make it your mission to top up your caffeine levels. They even reserve the tables closest to the play area for those with kids, which we think is as family-friendly as it gets. Add it to your address book pronto.
Bystro, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Manara (+971) (0)4 336 8056 www.bystrodubai.com
Caboodle in The Dubai Mall offers a supervised play package, where you can drop off the kiddos and then make your way to the on-site coffee shop just outside and enjoy some peace and quiet while they play. They get to enjoy the toys, dress-up area, craft stations, and play house – and once you’ve got to the bottom of that cup of coffee, you could always head into the on-site salon for a blow-dry or manicure (or run some errands in the mall). Happy mama, happy kids!
Caboodle, Level 2, The Dubai Mall (+971) (0)4 325 3367 www.caboodle.ae
If your kiddos are 3 years old or older, you can drop them off at the play area Le Petit Palais to explore the mini French-themed village or let off some steam in the jungle gym (younger tots will have to be supervised by a nanny or parent) – and while they are busy, you can head next door to Gourmet Lafayette to sip coffee as you watch them through the windows. It serves a good cup of coffee and works well any day of the week – but on Mondays, a special “Mummy Monday” deal means you can enjoy a hearty breakfast while your little one plays for two hours – all for 70 AED. We’re scribbling it in our diary as we speak…
Gourmet Lafayette, Level 2, The Dubai Mall (+971) (0)4 339 9933 www.galerieslafayettedubai.com/le-gourmet
Kiddies Café, a JLT coffee spot, is a favourite amongst mamas in the neighbourhood (with parking for those coming from further afield). The café offers a decent cup of coffee, along with light bites and cakes, which you can enjoy with full view of the play area behind floor-to-ceiling windows. Kids can enjoy a giant play house, jungle gym, and craft room – and you can enjoy a chance to sit down and relax while they play (the staff are great, but you will have to keep a closer eye on smaller tots if they are busy). Better still, the play area runs an offer every weekday morning, where you can grab a free coffee when you pay for your child to pay – and offers don’t get much better than that!
Kiddies Café, JLT, Cluster Y, Lake Shore Tower (+971) (0)4 360 8571 www.kiddiescafe.com
Lime Tree Café is a firm favourite with mamas around the city for a reason – and it’s not just because it serves a great coffee and slice of cake (and you can trust us on that being true, mama!) The Sheikh Zayed Road branch is spacious, convenient, and also boasts a small adjacent toy room, where littlies can wander, play, and read.
Lime Tree Café, opposite Gold & Diamond Park, (+971) (0)4 325 6325 www.thelimetreecafe.com
Mini Monsters is a play area first and foremost, but it makes it onto our list of coffee stops as the café alongside is large, very comfortable, and really very good. Coffee is available in abundance, along with plenty of appetising bites for adults and kids. And that’s not to mention the large and really quite brilliant play area for smaller kids (aged 0-6 years), which means the littlies will enjoy the pit stop just as much as you do.
Mini Monsters, DNATA Building, Business Bay, Sheikh Zayed Road (+971) (0)4 259 8843 www.minimonsters.net
Head to the Roastery at RAW Coffee Company in Al Quoz and you will find a toy area for kids by the tables upstairs, ensuring little people are entertained as you sit and drink cups of coffee (and believe us mamas, the coffee at Raw comes with Sassy Mama approval!) And that’s not all, as all kiddos visiting this coffee stop will be treated to free babycinos too – meaning they can sit and sip too.
Raw Coffee Company, Warehouse 10, Al Manara, Al Quoz, (+971) (0)4 339 5474 www.rawcoffeecompany.com
Serious coffee drinkers won’t be disappointed by a visit to Tom&Serg – and now we mention it, neither will serious foodies either. But it isn’t just the menu that makes this Al Quoz warehouse-style café worth a visit, as you’ll find a small kiddie area at the back of the upstairs area too, with books, LEGO bricks, and a couple of play mats. There’s a small table and chairs too, making it possible for the littlies in your party to decamp and enjoy their babycinos together.
Tom&Serg, 15A Street, Al-Joud Center, Al Quoz (+971) (0)5 6474 6812 www.tomandserg.com
If you haven’t yet discovered Tub of Butter, a brand new coffee shop and deli off Sheikh Zayed Road, it definitely deserves a visit – and the kids will be kept busy too, with a kid’s corner on site. And while you get your coffee fix (and wait until you see the coffee art on offer, mama!), the smaller members of your party can take their pick from a selection of toys and colouring books. Our new favourite mama hangout!
Tub of Butter, Al Thanya Street, Sheikh Zayed Road (+971) (0)4 343 8884 www.tubofbutter.com
Featured image via Pinterest
