Munchin' with munchkins - a smattering of thoughts

Eating out with kids can be a challenge. Especially younger munchkins with limited attention spans and fast-approaching nap times. Finding a family-friendly restaurant is key, whether it be for a weekend breakfast of pancakes, a cafe for lunch, or an (early) evening dinner "out on the town." OK, maybe not "out on the town," just not at home.

One sure-fire sign that a place is kid-friendly is if there is a kid's menu. Another good sign? The availability of booster seats and high chairs.

During my recent trip to Boston, I noticed that the popular and independent Flour Bakery & Cafe has a kid's menu at their Fort Point Channel location. (See the right side of the menu photograph below).

Kid's Corner: PB & J, Grilled Cheese, Milk + A Cookie, and Ham & Cheese. Yes, please!

While I would have liked to have verified the existence of the kid's menu at the other two locations (and sampled more goodies), I did have a few other things to do with my limited schedule. That said, the Fort Point Channel location does see a lot of young whipper snappers come through the door given its proximity to the Children's Museum (one block away). They see so many children that they, and their space-hogging accouterments (strollers) can get in the way of a small dining space. See the note near the door below, asking parents to park strollers outside during the lunch rush.

Note that they politely ask parents to leave the strollers outside on the covered porch during peak business hours (i.e. the lunch rush).

Parking strollers outside didn't seem to be an issue for most parents as there is a covered porch area outside the door. In foul weather, this would protect the stroller from rain and snow. Also, on this nice sunny September day there were people eating at outdoor tables, so leaving a stroller outside seemed to be plenty safe.

Strollers left outside the cafe during a busy lunch hour.

Once inside for lunch, the customers and diners were a fairly equal mix of nearby office workers and parents with children (presumably coming from or going to the Children's Museum). 

The bakery staff were also incredibly nice to the children at the counter and very patient with parents. Two brothers were even given an impromptu behind-the-scenes tour of the bakery in the arms of one of the chefs! You can just barely see the chef handing him back to his mother and his brother waiting for his turn in the picture below. How cool is that? Lastly, they offer a number of baking classes, and even a few kids classes as well. 

In Toronto, I stumbled across the awesome Playful Grounds Cafe in Little Italy that caters to parents with kids, without being a giant playground. In other words, parents actually want to go there, and in many cases, people without children would want to go there as well. From their website:

The goal is to provide a relaxing ambiance where you can chill out, network with others, have a coffee or a glass of wine or whatever you need to just feel like a person again because this is not a kiddie cafe. We spend all of our time going to places for the kids. This is a place for us but one which accommodates the wee ones in every way.

And they go out of their way to "accommodate the wee ones" with ample stroller parking (indoors and out), a healthy children's menu, kid's plates and sippy cups, free use of their bibs, special bathroom perks for kids (like a step-stool at the sink), and the ability to purchase emergency baby supplies (like a spare diaper or a pacifier).

I think this video sums up their fantastic business idea nicely.

Here in Seattle, in the Queen Anne neighborhood, Twirl Cafe is a similar model to Playful Grounds, a

"creative play space and community cafe. We provide a delicious cafe menu full of healthy, organic and local offerings in a unique learning environment that includes play dates, activities and classes, birthdays, and more for little ones 0-6 years."

They offer a large play space and scheduled events, but go one step further by offering onsite supervised play (for a fee). While parents or caregivers can't leave the premises, they can get some work done at the cafe or enjoy some down time while their children play, supervised by a licensed caregiver. Playing in the play space doesn't come free, but the charge does help to pay to keep the toys replenished and clean.

But come into downtown Seattle and things change a bit. First of all, many establishments will not allow children in their restaurant due to our the City's liquor permits. If the establishment does not have a railing separating the bar from the tables, minors are not allowed. For example, I asked to meet a friend with a newborn at one of my favorite lunch spots near my office, the Bookstore Bar in the Alexis Hotel. However, we had to choose a different locale because she told me that the Bookstore Bar can't allow children, strapped in a stroller or not. They don't have the required railing between the bar area and the tables to obtain the correct permit. Now I know there's a possibility that a child or teenager could get their hands on a beer or steal a sip of wine. But I'm pretty sure that a 5-week old infant isn't going to cause any trouble with the bartender. 

That said, there are certainly establishments that should be for adults only. I am not suggesting that people should be able to bring their kids into every bar and nightclub. But perhaps it's time to reevaluate our liquor permits in restaurants serving food to make downtown more family-friendly? I heard a similar comment from a downtown family who frequented the Hard Rock Cafe because it was one of the easy places that was able to accommodate her family, kids and all, while the parents enjoyed a beer. In Oregon, for example, there is a time element to the allowance of minors in liquor-selling establishments. No minors after 8 pm or 10 pm. This sounds more reasonable to me than banning all minors, even for breakfast or lunch.