Babies Who Brunch - September's Top 3!
Well, what a summer it's been! One of the perks of being on maternity leave is this is the first and only summer holiday we've ever had off with the babies and their older siblings so we really did make the most of it - by brunching, obviously.
We visited some delightful cafes over the last few months, especially enjoying those with outdoor seating and gardens so we could make the most of the beautiful weather we've had. At one point we felt we should have bought shares in Hawaiian Tropic Factor 50. And what is it with babies not wanting to keep their hats on? If I had a pound for every time I had to backtrack frantically trying to find his hat that he'd propelled from his pushchair then I'd have at least... £5 maybe.
Our top three venues for this month are places that add something a little bit different, i.e not your average cafe or your big standard full English breakfast.
Firstly, Bustler Market. This may not always spring to mind when you think about places to take babies and children (and dogs!) but it's fab. There's always a variety of places to eat with a rolling programme of street food vendors. The place is hugely spacious with big indoor and outdoor spaces. You will never worry about having to weave a pushchair around. There are games to entertain the children and highchairs available. The best thing to do is keep your eye on their social media pages as they have a multitude of events to attend including children's markets, burger festivals, chicken wing celebrations and the infamous bingo loco.
Tip No. 1 - Bingo Loco is not for kids, or the faint hearted. Or anyone with inhibitions, for that matter!
Secondly, The Brown Bear Coffee House in Ripley. This is a cafe-cum-gift shop, but not your average gift shop with the bog standard Kate Loxton bags and candles. This one is extra special with over 35 small businesses and gift makers, mostly all local. The afternoon tea we had was great and there's a HUGE milkshake menu that our children absolutely loved choosing from. It's upstairs, so not great with pushchairs but the staff will kindly help carry it up for you and when upstairs there's lots of space and plenty of highchairs.
Tip No. 2 - buy their homemade gingerbread, it's absolutely the best thing you'll ever taste!
And lastly, Sudbury Courtyard Cafe. What a little gem of a find this was! Nestled away next to Sudbury Hall (yes, this summer we also became National Trust people!) is the courtyard that was renovated in 2016. There's a beautiful cafe selling amazing ice creams, breakfasts and lunches. If the weather's nice you can sit outside surrounded by fragrant lavendar bushes. Inside, it's spacious enough for pushchairs and highchairs. We had fluffy waffles with maple syrup and crispy bacon, which the children devoured in seconds. After eating you can then wander around the shops in the courtyard. There's some beautiful pottery, home decor and gift shops. Perhaps you too can stand for an hour whilst your child mulls over which is the most perfect Jelly Cat to buy. With a few hundred in the shop you can see why we were pulling our hair out.
Tip No. 3 - save the gin shop for after the Jelly Cat experience so that you can sample a few swigs before you buy and hopefully take the edge off the great JC debate. You took an hour to choose a soft toy... we're going to take an hour sampling these local gins. Fair's fair! 😀
So there are your three for this month. If you have any suggestions for places to go please drop us a message on Facebook or Instagram. And if you visit any of our recommendations let us know what you think! We really value your feedback.
Kristen and Bek
Babies Who Brunch
