Village Cafe

NB. This café has closed

Location: 46 Hampden Road, Battery Point

Phone: (03) 6224 4101

Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 7am till 5pm; Sun: 8am till 4pm

Kids menu: No specific kids menu

Adults menu: Brunch and lunch options including muesli, fruit toast, variety of egg dishes, french toast, mushrooms on toast, BLT as well as veggie burgers, lasagna, vegetarian frittata, soup & pies.  Some cakes, muffins and scones also available

Prices: Brunch: $5 - $17.5; lunch: $9 - $16.5; cakes/muffins: $4 - $6

Mumma Review

We went to the Village Cafe in Battery Point recently for a spot of brunch one Thursday morning.  On arrival it was very quiet (granted in was only 10am of a weekday morning) and seeing as it smelt heavily like cooked bacon and seemed a bit 'steamy' we assumed they must have been busy cooking breakfast earlier?!?

There was plenty of room for prams and bubs - with seating options both inside and out in the back courtyard.  The boys ran straight to the toy box on arrival but as the place was empty their shrills of delight seemed to echo through our bones!  We opted to re-locate to the back courtyard for a more 'peaceful' brunch setting, although the excitement of seeing a water feature and many small garden pebbles seem to ramp up their morning enthusiasm again...

I opted for the French Toast with maple syrup and bacon whilst Kel had Mushrooms on Toast - both meals were slightly ordinary to be honest and didn't really win us over.  Our coffees were OK, hit the spot caffeine wise but slightly on the watery side and didn't have us wanting more.  The boys enjoyed the strawberry milkshake they shared so that was a plus.

The Village Cafe is certainly in a terrific location on Hampden Road in Battery Point and they have all the baby friendly features we love to see.  But.....all in all the place didn't really inspire us to want to go back.  The staff didn't seem very inspired to see us return though either, so perhaps all is even?!

Have you had a better experience at the Village Cafe?  We would love for you to share your thoughts....?

Love Mumma's Al & Kel xx
 

Environs Cafe

Location: 38 Waterloo Crescent, Battery Point

Phone: (03) 6224 3929

Website: http://www.environs.biz/

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 7am - 6pm, Sunday 8am - 6pm,
Wednesday Night Dinner Breakfast 6pm - Late

Kids menu: No

Adult menu: Brunch and lunch menu available till 3pm - great breakfast selection including eggs, ricotta pancakes, french toast, bircher muesli, & open mushrooms on toast; lunch menu includes new york style clam chowder, specialty pies, panini's, wagu beef burger, veggie burger and chili-bean boat; all days snacks include anti pasto platter/cheese platter/cake tasting platter as well as a variety of other small sweet treats. Licensed for wine by the glass for those cheeky afternoon (or anytime really) vino's!

Prices: Brunch $6.50 - $14, lunch $8 - $17, coffee $3.50 - $, glass of wine $9 - $12: majority Tasmanian wines

 

Mumma Review

Recently opened Environs in Battery Point was the cafe of choice this week day afternoon to enjoy a girlie and bubba catch up.  Four of us, all with little ones under two, set ourselves up in the courtyard at the rear of the cafe.  We were the only ones there so we had the enclosed courtyard to ourselves which was great for the boys to have a bit of space to play.  Of course two cheeky toddlers took this to the extreme and made a quick dash inside the cafe.  How do they move so fast?   Once inside they ran straight for the toy cars lined up on the window sill, which the kind staff allowed them to take back outside to play with.  I don't think these toys were actually dedicated to amusing customers kids, they looked more like someones collection, and I'm not sure if they knew just how vigorously they would be driving/flying back and forth along the wooden bench!

While the boys were amused with their cars and babycino's, the mumma's were served up a very yummy looking dessert platter.  Three of us had each ordered separate pieces of cake or slice, and the waiter decided to bring it out as a platter as it would be cheaper for us.  We were feeling very looked after!  The citrus tarts were deliciously zingy, and the chocolate cake was very delectable.  

Conversation is so fragmented and interrupted when four mumma's with littlies get together, but we managed to catch up on what was happening in one another's lives, and at the same time enjoy our yummy cakes and good coffee.  

The staff were very friendly and accommodating towards us and our tribe of children, but we were lucky to be there at a quiet time.  Had it of been busier the boys would have had less room to roam and wouldn't have enjoyed it quite so much.  Pram access is ok, a little bit of manoeuvring required to get up the front step, and there is not a lot of room around tables for prams.   

Environs is probably suited to a group with only one or two littlies rather than a big mums group catch-up, but definitely worth a visit  - we will certainly be heading back to sample their brunch menu: their french toast with poached fruit, labne and pistachios and ricotta pancakes have our names written all over them!!

Love Mumma Kel & Mumma Al x

Jam Jar Lounge

Location: 45 Hampden Road, Battery Point

Phone:  (03) 6224 1447

Website:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jam-Jar-Lounge/206431886050168

Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday : 7.30am - 5pm (open until 9pm currently which will stop in October). 

Kids menu: No

Adults menu:Brunch: 7.30am - 12pm (some all day) and lunch: 12-2pm. Lots of delicious looking cakes, slices and biscuits

Prices: Brunch: $7.00 for fruit toast up to $18 for an omlette -  Lunch: $12 - $18, Cakes/Biscuits: $3.00 - $8.00, Coffee: $3.50 - $4.50
Kids play area: Small sunny courtyard at the rear of the cafe

Babycino: Didn't get a chance to look - sorry!!!

 

Mumma Review

Bub, my friend (a soon to be yummy-mummy) and I headed to Jam Jar Lounge in Battery Point for a mid-week catch up last week.  I had been excited to go and try their French Toast which I had heard good reports about.  We arrived a bit after 9am and the place was buzzing with people enjoying their morning coffee and reading the daily news.  The interior of the cafe was stylish and old-world inspired.  Lots of seating for 2-6 people spread throughout two separate rooms and a sunny courtyard at the rear of the cafe.  A big comfy couch and two arm chairs were also available.

Before arriving I had planned that bub would be fast asleep in his pram and I would be able to relax back sipping a latte, tyring the french toast and enjoying a catch up.  Perfect!!  Bub however had other plans...

Whether it was the excitment of being out in a new cafe or the music that seemed to be rather loud (or teething which I do seem to blame most things on) bub was crying and irritable in his pram - he was not a happy camper!  After ordering our meals we switched seats and sat in a quieter section of the cafe which seemed to help settle bub a little.  There was enough room to fit the pram however had it had been a wide pram we may have struggled.  The staff were friendly with their service and when one waitress was asked whether they had a high chair she appeared quite sympathetic whilst stating no, sorry.  

After lots of cuddles bub did eventually fall off to sleep in his pram but by that stage my french toast and coffee were cold :( What I did taste however was still quite nice, and had it of been warm it really would have hit the spot.  The prices however were a little on the expensive side so perhaps not the best spot if you are on a budget dining out with kids.

Jam Jar Lounge was probably not the best place for a crying bub but what place is?  While it was a beautiful, sophisticated venue it really wasn't kid friendly.  Save Jam Jar Lounge for enjoyable bub free time (I know I will!).

Love Mumma Al x 

 

Open large map