This is the best place for mums with young children to hang out. You can watch the munchkins run around in the fenced park outside ( although littlies need supervision here, great playground). After you have had coffee and snacks from the friendly lady you can take them upstairs to the library above and grab some books. If you are a local you probably also know there is a community centre, neighborhood house and child care centre in the same complex. There is lots of free parking and it is also close to Chadstone so you could do shopping before or come here to let the kids burn off steam after. I think it is a great location with good coffee, typical cafe food and nice service.

We went to a birthday party at this cafe recently and it was amazing! The location is amazing, plenty of car parking, an amazing playground easily visible from inside the cafe - parents heaven!
The food provided by the cafe was delicious, the staff were incredibly friendly and polite. The only thing that could make it better for me would be if it was closer to my house! Our 2 year old thought the playground was the best thing ever :)

When my kids were younger I used to have a coffee and sometimes cake (the cakes are always high quality) and a chat while they played in the adventure playground or the skateboard ramp at Phoenix Park. Then they grew out of the playground but we still cycle down as it's on the bike path and have a refreshment stop. In the background there is usually jazz or world music, on the walls original art works for sale. This is a quiet cafe with casual and amiable atmosphere and a steady stream of regulars. The owner takes pride in sourcing good quality and interesting baked goods, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and fresh ingredients. The coffee is among the best in Melbourne. Children are welcome and expected and there are small tables and chairs, crayons and big paper tablecloths for the little artists. Unassuming - a hidden gem.

Approximate cost: $7.00

Fantastic! This is one of my favorite places to take my little ones. I always enjoy a great chat with the owner of the cafe and have become good friends with her being a regular customer. I love that the coffee is fair trade and they make it absolutely perfectly. Would definitely recommend!

I've visited here twice. Once for lunch - a delicious home-made lamb and cabbage sausage roll - and both times for coffee, which is fair-trade. The coffee was one of the nicest I've had in a long time, but I found it too expensive $3.50 for a suburban cafe. The service lady was very chatty and friendly the first time, but not so much the second.

This place has much potential, being in a location where there are many young children visiting every day of the year, and many parents just hanging around keeping an eye on them. You arrange to meet there with your friends and their children, so what do you do at 10am when the little darlings are happily ensconced in the huge enclosed playground? Buy a coffee and morning tea of course. Well, the venue is ok, nothing fancy, the front counter selection and drinks cabinet is also ok, the usual jars of large cookies and requisite candies and the drinks served across the counter are usually hot. The only problem I have, which I encounter every time I go there, is the serving staff. I don't think I have seen the person serving ever, ever crack a smile. Not just that but the gloomy, morose look has me wondering does this person get any joy from this position at all? It is quite alienating, I feel like I am being an imposition just by asking for something. I encourage my young child to pipe up and say thank you, but not even a smile or nod of encouragement. I understand this cafe can be booked for children's parties but I didn't even consider it when thinking about my 4 year old's upcoming birthday. I realise that the serving staff unfortunately have largely impacted on my experience of this cafe, so I now only pop in to buy my child a gingerbread man, his usual treat when we come to the park next door. I would rather wait and buy a coffee somewhere I know I will be treated with a friendly smile and have the possibility of asking hi, how's the business going. This place could be so much more I am sure, if it had really good staff.