The Best Family Friendly Places to Eat in Melbourne's East
If you are looking for a family friendly cafe or kid friendly restaurant, in fact any kid friendly eats in Melbourne, our list will help you find a suitable place anywhere in Melbourne's East. We've got a combination of places serving quality food and some cheaper and cheerful places in places full of family fun. We point out any local park or playground.
Best Family Friendly Places to Eat in Melbourne East
Abbotsford
The Farm Cafe, 18 St Heliers St, Abbotsford (03) 9415 6581
Features: The rustic and charming cafe adjoins the Collingwood Children's Farm but the cafe can be visited without going into the farm (entrance is from the Capital City trail bike/walking path). It is very busy when the Collingwood Farmers' Market is held every second Saturday from 8am-1pm. High chairs, pram friendly, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids, paid parking in the area.Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday - Sunday 10am-4pm
Frankie Says, 15 Acacia Pl, Abbotsford (03) 8354 9137
Features: Located near IKEA and Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre and along Capital City bike trail. High chairs, pram access, standard menu suitable for kids, free street parking for 30 minutes and then paid parking.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Sunday 7am-4pm
Armadale
Moby, 1150 High St, Armadale (03) 9509 2710
Features: Three stories with a wooden rooftop deck and pavement tables. High chairs, pram access to lower levels, children's menu, standard menu suitable for kids
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 6:30am-4pm, Saturday - Sunday 7:30am-4pm
Balwyn North
Bar Sur Loup, 115 Bulleen Rd, Balwyn North (03) 9859 4224
Features: Cafe is named after a Provencal village where the owner once lived. French styled cafe with sweets and pastries highlighted. Free babycino with marshmallow with coffee orders, high chairs, booster seats, pram access, change table in bathroom, rear courtyard with small grassy area, standard menu suitable for kids, free street parking
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Wednesday - Friday 7:30am-4pm, Saturday - Sunday 7:30am-4:30pm, Monday 7:30am-1:30pm, Tuesday closed
Playground: Banksia Park playground is a short drive away
Blackburn North
Lil' Ray, 44 Raymond St, Blackburn North 0452 606 729
Features: Cafe which has frozen ready cooked family meals in addition to pastries, cakes and drinks. They will even provide a picnic rug to take to the park opposite.
Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 7:30am-3pm, Friday 7:30am-4pm, Saturday 8am-2pm, Sunday - Monday closed
Playground: The park opposite the cafe has a basic playground for younger kids.
Burnley
Serotonin Eatery, 52 Madden Grove, Burnley
Features: Interesting cafe where some of the seats are swings, high chairs, pram access, courtyard, next to a playground, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids, free 4 hour parking. Emphasis on healthy food. It is possible borrow a picnic basket and blanket and what you order will be delivered to the park.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 7:30am-4pm, closed Monday & Tuesday
Playground: Golden Square Bicentennial Park playground is across the road.
Burwood
Foodrinkery, 22 Banksia St, Burwood (03) 9808 2468
Features: Back courtyard which opens onto a park with a playground while the inside is tight for prams. Fun colourful murals on the walls, toys provided, high chairs, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids. Free parking but difficult during school drop off and pick up times since it is close to Wattle Park Primary School.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Sunday 8am-4pm
Playground: Next to Banksia Waratah Reserve playground.
Chirnside Park
Texas River House, 239-241 Maroondah Hwy, Chirnside Park (03) 9726 4894
Features: Classic American BBQ meals with big servings, kids menu, huge area with plenty of space or prams, kids pack to keep them entertained until the meals are delivered.
Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11am-11pm, Friday - Saturday 11am-1am
Playground: Next to Reading Cinemas. You can pick whether to have a meal before or after a movie.
Diamond Creek
Diamond Creek Rotary Tram Cafe, 28 Main Hurstbridge Rd, Diamond Creek
Features: The cafe is inside a restored W-Class Rotary Tram and the conductor won't collect fares, only food and drink orders. Hosted by volunteers, it serves ice cream, milkshakes, coffee and bites to eat. There is no seating inside the tram but there are bench seats on the covered decks.
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:30am-3:30pm, Saturday - Sunday 9am-4pm
Playground: Perched above the Diamond Creek Regional Playspace.
Golden Hills Brewery, 25 Station St, Diamond Creek (03) 8560 3180
Features: Huge family friendly indoor and outdoor space where you can see the workings of a brewery, try out some beers and grab some food, kids menu and colouring kits for kids
Hours: Monday - Saturday 7am-11:30pm, Sunday 8am-11:30pm
Doncaster
The Doncaster Hotel, 855 Doncaster Road, Doncaster (03) 9848 1622
Features: Smart pub with bistro, large indoor kids playground, entertainment on Wednesdays & Sundays, free club membership.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: 11am-7am
Stables Provedore Cafe, 71 Stables Cct, Doncaster (03) 9993 0731
Features: Set in the charming architectural landmark once known as the 'Elephant House' stables, indoor and outdoor dining, provedore supplies such as fruit, vegetables and ready made meals.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: 7am-5:30, 7 days a week
Playground: Location is fairly close to three nice playgrounds; Lawford Street Reserve with playground and skate park, Heritage Boulevard playground and Verdant Park playground which has a high birds nest with two huge twisting slides.
Doncaster East
Cherry Hill Tavern, 195 Reynolds Rd, Doncaster East (03) 9841 8122
Features: Sprawling bistro serving typical pub food, indoor playground for 3-10 year olds
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Saturday 9am-5am, Sunday 10am-5am
Emerald
The General Food Store, 377 Belgrave-Gembrook Rd, Emerald (03) 5968 3580
Features: Busy and renowned place with emphasis on using seasonal ingredients. Small with tight pram access but there is an outdoor courtyard. There are high chairs, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids and limited time free parking in the street.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Saturday 7:30am-4pm, Sunday 8am-4pm
Hawthorn
Axil Coffee Roasters, 322 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn (03) 9819 0091
Features: Great coffee and also food, plenty of space for prams, high chairs, standard menu suitable for kids
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday to Sunday 7am-4pm
Bake Me Cake Me, 82 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn
Features: Pink neon store selling NYC chunk-style cookies with wacky experiences including a marshmallow mirror, mallow pool with pretend marshmallows for Insta photos and a cookie vending machine.
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday to Monday closed
Tao Tao House, 815 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn (03) 9818 0968
Features: Yum cha restaurant with good quality food. Best to book. High chairs, pram access, standard menu suitable for kids, plastic utensils, free 1 hour parking
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Thursday 12-3pm, 5-9:30pm, Friday 12-3pm, 5-10:30pm, Saturday 11am-3pm, 5-10:30pm, Sunday 11am-3pm, 5-9:30pm
Barton Milk Bar, 39 Barton St, Hawthorn (03) 9819 1046
Features: A cafe converted from an old milk bar, kids menu with old favourites, liquor license
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 6:30am-4pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am-4pm
Playgrounds: The closest playgrounds are at St James Park and Fashoda Street Reserve.
Heathmont
Chapter Too, Shop 3 & 4, 110 Canterbury Rd, Heathmont (03) 9720 0544
Features: Colouring pencils and sheets for kids, pram access, high chairs, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids, disabled toilet with change table
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 7am-3:30pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am-3:30pm
Kew
Studley Park Boathouse Cafe, 1 Boathouse Rd, Kew (03) 8563 0028
Features: The site also has a high end restaurant for groups and a kiosk. A lovely location beside the Yarra River where you can hire rowboats, canoes and kayaks. High chairs, pram access (with some stairs), change table, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids. There are lots of parklands surrounding the cafe.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am-5pm
Lilydale
Hutch & Co Cafe, 251 Main St, Lilydale (03) 9735 9824
Features: Cool cafe with an enclosed wood-panelled courtyard at the back. High chairs, toilet with pram access and small kids menu.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 7am-3:30pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am-3:30pm
Playgrounds: Lillydale Lake and Melba Park have nice playgrounds in this area.
Mitcham
Mitcham Hotel, 556 Maroondah Highway, Mitcham (03) 9874 8899
Features: Indoor Play Area
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: 9am - 5am
Two Brothers, 558 Mitcham Rd, Mitcham 0480 260 596
Features: Quality food with everything made on site using local and organic ingredients. A back courtyard with chalk boards and furniture for kids. High chairs, pram access, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Saturday 6:30am-3pm, Sunday closed
Playground: Halliday Park (short drive away)
Narre Warren North
The Orchard at Montague, 18 Horswood Rd, Narre Warren North (03) 9658 5912
Features: Located in a huge orchard is Stella's Kitchen restaurant which has a very good kids menu, lots of room and decking at the back. There is also a shop selling seasonal fresh produce and locally sourced artisan products. They also offer seasonal orchard tours where you can learn about how their fruit is grown and taste fruit straight from the tree, as well as tours of their packhouse where you can go behind-the-scenes of their fruit processing facility and see what goes into packing fruit, to get it from the orchard to supermarket shelves.
Hours: Monday - Sunday 8:30am-4pm
Playground: Next to Lysterfield Park which has walks, swimming and cycling opportunities.
Nunawading
Little Hugh, 150 Rooks Rd, Nunawading (03) 8838 8899
Features: Hip, architect designed cafe with pram access, high chairs, children's menu
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday - Sunday closed
Miss Lucy, 133 Central Rd, Nunawading (03) 9259 2022
Features: Elegant farm-to-table eatery and cafe with a dedicated corner space for kids with toys.
Hours: Sunday - Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday closed
Playground: Located opposite Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Playspace.
Richmond
Friends of Mine, 506 Swan St, Richmond (03) 9429 5564
Features: The name for the cafe originates from all the fixtures having been sourced from friends or friends of friends of the original owner. High chairs, pram access, standard menu suitable for kids, limited free parking.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday - Sunday 7:30am-3pm
Ms. Peachy, 109 Bridge Rd, Richmond
Features: Smoothies, cold-pressed juices and smoothie bowls. Next to sister shop Bissel B which serves New York style bagels.
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am-3pm, Saturday 8am-3pm, Sunday 8am-2pm
Bissel B., 111 Bridge Rd, Richmond 0413 534 531
Features: 20 different bagel combinations. Next to sister shop Ms. Peachy which serves smoothies.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday 8am-3pm, Sunday 8am-2pm
Top Paddock Cafe, 658 Church St, Richmond (03) 9429 4332
Features: Don't spend time searching for a paddock in Church Street since there isn't one. High chairs, pram access including to disabled toilets, change facilities, standard menu suitable for kids.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Sunday 8am-4pm
Touchwood, 480 Bridge Rd, Richmond (03) 9429 9347
Features: Shaded outdoor deck area, pram access, high chairs, kids menu, standard menu suitable for kids
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Thursday 7am-2:30pm, Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am-3pm
Ringwood
Manhattan Hotel, Cnr Heatherdale Road and Canterbury Road, Ringwood (03) 9874 7777
Features: Kids indoor play area with playstations
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: 9am - 5am
The Coach Bistro, 33 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood (03) 9870 1661
Features: Kids indoor play area
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: 9am - 3am
Mister Fox, 352 Canterbury Rd, Ringwood (03) 9052 4352
Features: Cafe at the Ringwood Golf Club with generous servings and reasonable prices. High chairs, pram access, children's menu, standard menu suitable for kids, toy golf clubs and balls to use on the putting green and free parking.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Sunday 7am-3pm
Holy Cheesus Cafe, 143 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood
Features: Toasties, baked cheesecakes and coffee. Located within the Urban Life church at Eastland with plenty of space for prams. The six different toasties are all named after great historical figures and patron saints.
Hours: Monday - Saturday 8am-3pm, Sunday closed
Ringwood North
The Pastry Board, 7 Milne Pl, Ringwood North (03) 8699 8588
Features: Pies, pastries and sweet treats with a shelf of treats suited to younger kids.
Reviews: Review on Zomato
Hours: Monday - Saturday 7.30am-3pm, Sunday 7.30am-2pm
Playground: McAlpin Reserve playground is a short drive away.
