The Pancake Train Cafe

Location: 1567 Channel Highway, Margate.  Located at the Margate Train

Phone: (03) 6267 1120

Website:  nil listed
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm daily

 
Kids menu: Starts at 70cents for party pies, sweet and savoury pancakes from $3.50 for the strawberry jam pancake, to $6.50 for the fruit face pancake. Ice cream $1.50 per scoop with sprinkles
Adult menu: Breakfast served until 11.30 - muesli, fruit toast, and "The train engineers breakfast".  
Snacks include biscuits, scones and muffins, as well as soups, pies, and toasted sandwiches.
There are three categories of pancakes to choose from; Savoury (with options such as bacon and maple, beef stroganoff, smoked salmon), Sweet and Simple, and Luscious Pancakes (this is the section of the menu my eyes are drawn straight to... apple and cinnamon, pear and walnut, banana and chocolate, or berry delight, all served with whipped cream, icecream, or both.....mmmm)
Prices: Breakfast $6 - $17.50, snacks $3.20 - $12.50, pancakes $6.50 - $19.50

Mumma Review:

My friend and I decided to catch up for a mid-week coffee and a play-date with our two little toddler boys.  

Where to take two almost two year old boys who are both mad about trains?  

The Margate Train of course!

The boys were in their element from the word go, clambering up the ladder into the front of the train for a drive (while their mums scrambled up after them), then racing around on the lawn along side the train playing in the sandpit, and with the trucks, trains, bikes, scooters, swings and cubby, before finally running out of steam and sitting down for some lunch from the Pancake Train Cafe while allowing their mumma's a well earnt rest!

There are lots of very yummy sweet and savoury pancakes to choose from, as well as some other non-pancake options.  For the kids, we couldn't go past the fruit face pancake which absolutely delighted the boys!

  
And I have to admit, I was as equally delighted with my apple cinnamon pancake!

The Pancake Train Cafe is housed within a couple of carriages of the Margate Train, with the front most carriage having your usual cafe style table and chair set-up, while the back carriage is set up as though you are actually on a train, with old luggage cases on the overhead racks, a centre aisle and comfy train seats around each dining table.  If the weather is nice you can also sit outside at the tables and chairs along side the train next to the play area.  We sat outside for our lunch, and then all climbed aboard for our stationary train ride, where the boys were amused with more train themed fun on board....baskets of toy trains!

As for the low down on the other child friendly aspects; there are toilets on site, but no nappy change facilities - the back of the car boot had to suffice for my friends tot.  The play area is a little distance to the car park, but is not fenced off.  Highchairs are available if the train seats are a bit too low for your little one.  There is no pram access through the narrow train doors and I do remember coming here a few years back with a friend who couldn't fit her baby capsule through the door so she had to pass it in through the window, complete with peacefully sleeping baby!

Once the pancakes are finished, the toys are discarded, and the outdoor play area is abandoned, there are a few other carriages to explore including a lolly shop, second hand stores for books, kids clothing, and two antique shops.  

The boys and their mumma's all had a fun morning out.  The Margate Train is a great little outing for lovers of trains and pancakes alike!  All aboard!

Love Mumma Kel x