9 Family-Friendly Portland Cafes

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The seasons have changed and the rain has set in. When that happens it’s always nice to have a tried and true kid-friendly coffee shop in PDX to venture out to. Sometimes mom just needs a little pick-me-up because we all know that adulting and parenting is a challenging job and not for the weak. BUT, we don’t want just any coffee shop when we have littles in tow. There is nothing worse for me than getting someplace that was called “kid-friendly” to find silence and people who have clearly shown up to use the space for their second office. “I’m sorry fine sir, is my toddler’s squealing and scone-throwing bothering you?” Ugh, maybe you’ve been there too. If so, here are nine Portland coffee shops that won’t get you death looks from other customers. You can relax, enjoy conversation with a friend, have a nice treat, and your little ones can enjoy a new play space and maybe even some awesome entertainment. 

Kid Friendly Cafes in PDX

Posie’s Bakery & Cafe (N Denver Ave.) 

Poise’s a fantastic coffee shop for delicious bagels and other amazing baked goods. They have a wonderful menu and there is a kid play room near the back of the cafe. 
 
Papaccinos (SE Woodstock Blvd)
 
Papaccino’s has an extensive drink and food menu with many kid-friendly options. They also have a designated kid space in the back with a stand up bar surrounding it. It was the perfect place for my kids to play while I kept an eye on them as I got some work done. 
 
Space Monkey (SE 72nd Ave)
 
The baristas at Space Monkey were incredibly friendly and the toys in the back of the cafe were a big hit with my kids as they noshed on muffins and chocolate milk. Street parking was easy to find right in front of the cafe and there is a playground across the street. 
 
New Deal Cafe (NE Halsey St)
 
New Deal Cafe offers breakfast all day, enough said! We stopped for a mid-afternoon snack on our way to OMSI and were thrilled to find that we still had a huge menu to choose from with locally sourced ingredients. The designated kid play space was the perfect set up to keep an eye and ear on my kids while I got a few things checked off my list… mainly eating my biscuit without interruption. There is also plenty of easy off street parking and a beautiful outdoor patio area for those warmer days. 
 
Pips Original Doughnuts (NE Fremont St)
 
Pip’s is a one shop stop for delicious made-to-order mini donuts and house-made chai. They also offer kid’s hot chocolate (with mini marshmallows and sprinkles!) in the most adorable vintage animal mugs. While there is no designated kid space, there are kids books to peek through. While we’ve always found seating during the week inside the cozy cafe, there will most likely be a (fast moving) line on weekends and holidays.
 
Kyra’s Bake Shop (NW 21st & Irving and Lake Oswego)
 
While known for their cupcakes as four time winners of the Food Networks Cupcake Wars, Kyra’s also offers donuts, muffins, breakfast sandwiches and a lunch menu! There isn’t a designated kids space within the shop, but everything on the menu is celiac safe, making this the *perfect* spot for us to meet up with our friends who are gluten-free. 

Jim & Patty’s (NW Lovejoy, NE Fremont & SW Beaverton) 

Pick up some of Portland’s original Black Tiger Coffee or get their famous coffee cake while enjoying the warm and friendly folks at Jim & Patty’s. There isn’t a designated kid section but it’s family-friendly and has toys and board games to enjoy. 

Maplewood Coffee and Tea (SW 52nd and Custer) 

Maplewood offers a huge tea menu for those who prefer it over coffee. It’s a delightful spot in an old house and it has lots of natural light and is a beautiful place to sit down and relax. While there is no longer a designated kids space inside the coffee shop, they are located just around the corner from the SW Community Center and across the street from a playground, with lots of side street parking available, making it the perfect post open swim or playground meet up snack stop!
 
Two Sisters Play Cafe  (SE McLoughlin in Milkwaukie)
 
The Two Sisters Play Cafe has a (very) small fee attached to access all of the play spaces and toys available and is geared towards babies through early elementary years. Their menu offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options as well as an extensive tea and coffee menu. Also, check out their calendar for different events and classes that are hosted there!
 
And just in case you need a trip to a donut shop on your way to the cafe, check out these family favorites. Who says you can’t have donuts and coffee all in one day? I’m always game for that!! If you have another favorite kid-friendly coffee shop let us know in the comments! 
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Jody
Jody grew up in a small town in Central Oregon, graduated from Oregon State University, traveled to Africa for three months and, upon returning, moved to Montana to be near her then fiancé. They lived in Bozeman, Montana for nine years working on the Montana State campus in full-time ministry. They now have lived in SE Portland for nearly eight years and work part-time with the same faith-based non-profit. She is also now a business owner and helps others find health and happiness through Plexus. She has been married for 16 years and they have two beautiful kids. Their 11 year-old daughter is a miracle biological child after years of infertility, and their son 7 is a miracle child through the gift of adoption. Jody loves living in beautiful Portland where flowers are always in bloom and there is always an adventure around the corner to be had. She loves Jesus, coffee, a good book, deep conversation with people she loves, being intentional to love those around her, hosting events in their backyard, sausage, beer, traveling, and being a wife and mom. The beach is her happy place. She also blogs occasionally at jodymccomas.com about motherhood and ministry.

1 COMMENT

  1. Munchkin Playland (NW 185th and NW West Union) is another great option! Great coffee and the best panini’s! Has small fees – $4 for crawlers and $6 walkers)

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