As a coffee mecca, greater Seattle has no shortage of spectacular places to nab a cup of joe, and many cafés offer comfy couches, reading corners, or a few toys. And many others that don’t have designated play areas for kids still welcome kids with cheery staff, great eats and kid-friendly drinks and sit-down space to read, draw or otherwise hang out together. Here’s our list of places that offer enough space, kid-friendly menu items, and, in many cases, toys or other distractions to keep little ones entertained.
Auntie Irene’s / Des Moines
This south Des Moines community spot offers families a cozy place to sit and sip, with full tables for comfy chairs, a great menu, ice cream, and coffee. A play area with games and coloring pages is available as well. The shop’s mission is to be a “Second Living Room” for visitors. Owner Susie Horton is a 30-year resident of Des Moines, where she raised her three kids — she gets family and works right next to her staff—located in the Des Moines Marina.
C & P Coffee / West Seattle
C & P is where West Seattlites go to work, read, chat, hang out, and enjoy tasty drinks and locally sourced eats. Books on shelves, a few child-size chairs, and a whole lot of relaxation in this shop and outside on its covered deck and sunny backyard area. The coffee house often hosts live music, open mics, poetry and storytelling, and arts and crafts fairs – can you spell family fun?
Common Ground Coffee & Cupcakes / Renton
Common Ground Coffee & Cupcakes has local parents buzzing in South King County. This inviting coffeehouse offers locally made Caffé D’arte coffee and delicious cupcakes, regular-size and mini, baked on-site daily: various hot drinks, real-fruit smoothies, and bubble tea round out the menu. The play area beckons with rocking horses, wooden toys, and books when the cupcakes are demolished.
Cupcake Royale / Multiple locations
There are cupcakes, and then there’s Cupcake Royale. Think cupcakes in all colors, big and small. Plus, ice cream. And yes, coffee. To our mind, these three go together to spell FAMILY. There are no toys or kids’ play areas, but the spaces are spacious; you can sit for as long as you like and be surrounded by all those cakes; it feels like a party—locations in Ballard, Burien, downtown Seattle, Madrona, and West Seattle.
Diva Espresso / Multiple locations
Parents love the Kenmore Diva Espresso location for the splash pad right outside the cafe. This branch of Diva is located in The Hangar, a public space with an outdoor fountain and other amenities. It’s not a huge splash pad area, but it’s great for younger kids. In the summer, they open the cafe so parents can drink coffee while kids play. Kid-friendly drinks include hot chocolate, Italian sodas, and more, and grab-and-go food options are a perfect fit for families on the go. Seattle locations include Greenwood, Highlands, Chinook, Broadview, Stone Way, Harborview neighborhoods, and Kenmore.
85°C Bakery Café / Multiple locations
Ok, this one is not independent. It’s a Hong Kong chain. But imagine a place where most pastries are under $4. Many are under $3, and cookies are less than $2. With more than 50 pastries to choose from, 85°C Bakery Café Taiwanese bakeries are a kid’s delight. Not to mention the drinks list. Yes, there is coffee in many delicious forms. But also bubble teas, smoothies, lemonades and more. Locations in Tukwila, Bellevue, Federal Way, Edmonds, and Lynwood.
Firehouse Coffee / Ballard
The Firehouse serves Caffé Vita coffee and a wide range of snacks and food and offers parking in its lot (a nice bonus in busy Ballard). Kids can enjoy an entire playroom full of books and toys, and the sliding door keeps roaming toddlers (and tantrums) contained.
Cafe Hagen / Queen Anne and SLU
With great coffee, a tasty menu, and open space, Hagen, located on Seattle’s Queen Anne, in downtown and in South Lake Union, is “very kid friendly and spacious for a peaceful weekend treat,” according to one parent reviewer.
Hoffman’s Fine Cakes & Pastries / Redmond
One word: cookies. And lots of them. And colorful cupcakes, too. Hoffman’s has these and more. Don’t let the word “fine” dissuade you. This stop loves kids, and it’s a hop and a skip to Redmond Downtown Park, with its splash pad.
Honey Bear Bakery / Lake Forest Park
Spacious Third Place Commons is a haven for families in North Seattle and beyond. Grab a coffee and a pastry from Honey Bear Bakery and sit at the large tables to enjoy your treat. To make a day of it, enjoy lunch at one of the many eateries in the food court, browse the shelves at Third Place Books, and check out story time at the library downstairs.
Irwin’s Neighborhood Bakery & Cafe / Wallingford
Irwin’s in Wallingford is your spot if you want to hang with your kids, eat great food, and enjoy a real community and neighborhood vibe. Muffins and pie to die for. Popular for after-school homework. There aren’t a lot of tables inside, but seating extends outdoors.
Kaffeeklatsch / Lake City
Lake City’s Kaffeeklatsch has cozy vibes and excellent German baked goods. If you can, nab a seat outside on a sunny day.
Mighty-O Donuts / Multiple locations
Mighty-O is celebrated for their spectacular donuts – and rightly so – but their coffee is equally great. Their Ballard location has an enormous kid-centric play space with low tables and chairs, toys, and books. Also, locations in Ballard, Capitol Hill, Denny Triangle, downtown Seattle, and Tukwila
Moondrop Coffee / Alki in West Seattle
Moondrop’s rad bubble teas and smoothies are kid-pleasers for sure; they’re also totally great as an adult treat, too. Grab a breakfast sandwich and take a stroll down Alki afterward. Distraction? There’s a beach right out the window. Sip your Joe for a while, then hit the sand.
Neko Cat Cafe / Capitol Hill
Coffee, kid-friendly treats, and cats. Which they can pet. Need we say more? Located on Capitol Hill. Also, in Bellingham, should you be traveling and need a kitty fix, You must make an appointment to visit the cats.
Serendipity Café / Magnolia
For Magnolia families, Serendipity is a decidedly family-friendly go-to breakfast (and lunch and dinner) and coffee stop. They serve locally made pastries, Herkimer coffee and espresso. Sit, sip, and eat while the kids hang in the play area, stocked with books and play games.
SoulFood CoffeeHouse / Redmond
This Redmond spot is a community-driven café frequently hosting live music, poetry readings, and even the occasional drum circle. Most of their menu is organic, with plenty of gluten-free options and a special “just for kids” menu. Their play area is decked out with artist materials and children’s books; follow up your visit with a walk on the neighboring Sammamish River Trail.
Top Pot Donuts / Multiple locations
Donuts, kids, and coffee for parents = happiness any day of the week. These spots are comfortable, and books are on the walls. Bring a stack from home, and settle in for an hour or two of family reading. There are locations in downtown Seattle, First Hill, Queen Anne, South Lake Union, Capitol Hill, Ballard, Wedgewood, Bellevue, Renton, Kirkland, Redmond, Edmonds, Issaquah, Mill Creek, and Tacoma.
Tougo / Central District
In this beloved Central District shop, the central theme is community. People gather, kids hang out, and dogs are welcome. Delicious food, Black-owned and dedicated to making all feel welcome.
Zoka / Multiple locations
Zoka coffee and tea cafes have plenty of drink options for kids and parents, tasty treats, and no time limit. The chill vibe is relaxing, and patrons don’t mind if little ones wander among the tables (as long as a parent is in sight). Make it a stop on a family bike along the Burke Gilman Train in the University District, or plan to walk, roll or ride around the Greenlake loop, just down the hill from Zoka’s flagship Tangletown location, also, in Kirkland.
More at Seattle’s Child:
18 Puget Sound restaurants where kids eat cheap or free
World Chocolate Day is a thing? Yes!
Find more things to do on the Seattle’s Child calendar
