Eat & Drink
The Latest Trend at Toronto Cafes Has Nothing To Do With Coffee as Kid-Friendly Spaces Start to Sprout
There are certain Toronto neighbourhoods that have become virtual incubators - the kinds of places where every other car has a car seat or two permanently strapped into the back seat, where wagons and strollers have pushed the Muskoka chairs off the porch, sidewalks are covered in wild chalk scribbles, and the local playground gets busier than St. Lawrence Market on a Saturday.
They're the sorts of areas that couples move to because of the restaurants and bars, but discover they're no longer as welcome as they used to be when they try to push a stroller through the door. It's inevitable that these are the neighbourhoods where kid-friendly cafés will start to sprout - a place for moms (and dads) to get a dose of java and a muffin without worrying that their bawling toddler or their breastfeeding will invite a wave of stink-eye from adjacent WiFi parasites.
Leslieville got its first kid-friendly coffee shop this week, with the opening of Lil' Bean N' Green, the brainstorm of three friends who saw the need for a place to recharge while their offspring had room to roam. "As a parent, especially a new parent, you feel isolated, and you need to reach out," said co-owner Meray Mansour, who recalled the December when she and pal April Cook both gave birth. (Mansour's sister-in-law, Laura Hing, is the third wheel of the tricycle.)
The choice of Leslieville was obvious: "The three of us live in the area, and there seemed like there were more strollers on the street than people walking." The result is a big, bright room with a dignified, adult space at the front, and a rubber-floored area at the back complete with treehouse. The menu leans to the organic, with gluten-, milk- and nut-free options, and the trio have plans for read-alongs, puppet shows, dance, arts and crafts, yoga and baby CPR classes.
Leonor Filipe opened the Gingerbread House Family Café in the Junction three months ago with a similar goal of providing not only food, but a social service for parents at loose ends, many of them on parental leave and faced with weeks and months stretching ahead of them in the almost constant company of someone who doesn't read newspapers or watch movies.
"I have a group of moms who come in for their 'weekly adult conversation,'" Filipe tells me. She says that creating relationships and forming networks with her customers is an important part of the job. "It was important for me not only to be family friendly but community friendly as well."
Filipe is expecting to have to hire on extra help in the winter, when inclement weather will drive customers off the playgrounds, but has already acclimatized herself to twice daily rushes, one before noon and one in the middle of the afternoon. "I always know when it's nap time in the Junction."
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Given Toronto's middle to upper middle class-java-loving population though, I guess Toronto will pay for it.
No other place in the world will you see this behaviour(*actually, that is true, regarding the cyclist issue)
Is it that HARD to recognize that a cafe will be child-friendly or not?
Why not just raise the menu prices to pay for kids toys, so only the families that can afford eating out at fancy cafes, pay for it.
Done. Problem solved.
If you care so much about lower socio-economic strata, take a beef with the people who actually make life difficult for them: bad landlords, unsafe drivers, drug dealers and other criminals, overzealous cops, Tory politicians, big corporations ...
... I mean, are the folks who own or frequent the independent café down the street really the bad guys on whom you must crap?
... I mean, are the folks who own or frequent the independent café down the street really the bad guys on whom you must crap?"
I agree. Independent-cafe yuppies are squeaky clean and have never caused the poor folks any trouble. Except, of course, when they're bad landlords, or work for large corporations, or are Tory politicians, or unsafe drivers, et cetera...
Stay home and write more blog comments criticizing new ideas.
Well done Lil' Bean N' Green.
Hey ya think those little kids making all that noise while you were trying to eat your huevos rancheros are the same kids who stumble drunk up my street between 1 and 3 AM Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights whooping and screaming while I'm trying to sleep? No? They're not the same kids? Well, anyways, I just roll over and get back to sleep. Not that big of a deal.
It's called a city. Get used to the noise or get the fook out.
I can tell from the tone of your response that you have a moral fire blazing within your youthful, toned body. I assume you are young and may one day change the world for myself and my friends.
Regretfully, I have no clout in society whatsoever so unfortunately whenever I take beef with the bad landlords, unsafe drivers, drug dealers and other criminals, overzealous cops, Tory politicians, and big corporations, nothing ever changes. Oh wait - you will be happy to know that I once stabbed a drug dealer and stole his wallet, but that's all.
I imagine judging from the big words you used, that you are educated, important and also quite attractive. As such, I know that you will have no reservations against donating some money to my community: https://www.canadahelps.org/DonationDetails.aspx?cookieCheck=true
Good luck with all those other urban evils who I have no doubt you and your like-minded friends will one day take down!
Thank you. And God Bless...
Also, you don't need to pay $3 to "know" what place is kid-friendly or not. Just stick your head in and you'll figure it out.
But hey, if you wanna pay three bucks while other more normal places don't charge at all, then be my guest.
By the way, I'm the president of Uzbekistan.
I'm from NY and I always defend and promote TO, I'm starting wonder if I've missed the mean spirit that seems to be part of the culture.
Bill McMurray: Yes, you missed it. We're very crotchety, it's a byproduct of winter and our victorian roots.
I appreciate Blog TO's attempt to speak to parents however, even though these kinds of cafes don't really interest me you see, because I'm perfectly find with taking my kids whereever I like.
That's the beauty of living in a big city - your kids get to experience the full range of life the city offers, from great parks to the mentally ill - it's all good, because it builds a tolerance for others that seems sadly absent from many of the people who comment here.
And as a parent, I have to laugh at the child-haters, mainly because, in about 5 years, they too will pine for the cool "child-friendly" spaces they now so relentlessly mock. Most of us know that your loathing of some kid ruining your beer buzz is merely the deep-seated fear of having to take on the responsibility of having a child. But it's OK, you'll grow out of it.
Aw, when did my mom start posting here?
I don't mind families paying extra for this service(*if they can afford it) Just as long as the establishment is well insured and there's a paid person looking over the child area.
I don't wanna be a hater. I wanna be a solution-er.
Way to preach on that 'diversity' you speak of :P
"I'm perfectly find with taking my kids whereever I like."
See people generally don't hate kids. They hate parents like you.
I'm in my 30s and I know I don't want kids. It's not hate, it's just not something I feel I need to do.
And listening to a baby cry, scream and whine during a meeting yesterday just reminded me how great this idea is.
P.S. Best coffee in Leslieville so far!!
Are you that self absorbed and insane? I really can't believe the amount of haters spending quality time writing comments on a review about a new cafe that caters to families. I mean I thought being cool and edgy took up most of your day yet somehow you managed to spend your time here.....Makes me think that maybe this deep rooted HATE comes from a deeper place like wanting to be a parent!!! And please I am begging you.... Can you please define "cool"? Writing hateful comments...is that cool?
Bottom line: The cafe is a great idea.
You don't like it don't go.
They charge to keep the place running and clean I assume. (kids sometimes have a tendency to break things or scribble on furniture etc.) Replacing these items can add up.
And if you took the time out to do research cuz you obviously have the time, we are the only major city in the world that hasn't caught on to this idea. It exist everywhere else and yes wait for it....... THEY CHARGE!!! OMG!
It is this simple: I have a kid and trying to go out for a coffee to starbuck or wherever is impossible because of stupid haters like you who give dirty looks and make comments. Also my baby wants to walk around and talk to people and touch things cuz guess what that is what a toddler does EXPLORES.....We all did it (before you became a sorry excuse of an "ADULT" lol! you were a toddler too!) Also I can't drink my coffee in peace because I am chasing my toddler around....This way my baby plays and I have my coffee....works for me.
So I will gladly pay three whole dollars for the enjoyment of my toddler playing in a safe clean environment, learning new skills like TOLERANCE towards others and sharing whether it be a toy, a city or a restaurant! Or what, are you expecting us to keep our children in hiding in our homes so they aren't socialized properly and end up like most of you here....Now that's a scary thought!
So please go back to your wonderfully fulfilled lives and please remember to keep hating because it is always good to use up all your time and energy in being mean.
Oh and please, please, please do society a favour and do not procreate! That will mean I less hater in this world!
Thank you.
So, even if you aren`t planning on ``breeding`` (if you are fortunate enough to have the choice) then on behalf of the gene pool, thanks.
The places has a whole playground toy room thing in the back. It's kind of like the 'indoor playgrounds' that are all over the place. The fee is to cover the cost of making that kind of space and equipment available. I'm assuming that when you run a restaurant each table represents a certain amount of money per month. The space is at least half the size of the cafe and would easily fit 9 tables or something like that. So, that's why they'd need to charge per kid.
Also, I'm just guessing, but I suspect there is liability insurance to pay for when you're providing actual equipment for children and stuff.
Plus, it's $3 a kid, and most indoor playgrounds seem to run around $10 per kid (except the city run one, which, I think, is $3).
So, it's not like they're saying 'it's $3 to let your kid roam around and entertain themselves with the tables and chairs because we advertise in a way that means you won't get judgment for having your kid here'. That would be unconscionable. It's $3 to let your kids play in their indoor tree house and swings and toys and on and on.
We just went today and it was pretty cool. The whole thing still cost $10 once I had a latte and my partner had a coffee and we paid for the play, but, for the same price as one of the indoor playgrounds, we got to enjoy great coffee while our toddler played.
It was a good experience.
Oh and charging for kids is just boring and not business savvy. Be more creative than that Toronto entrepreneurs! If you want to make some extra money to cover the cost of the kids section, sell kids items either on the menu or in a toy section that has a greater profit margin.
Get over youselves, people. If I have children I will take them wherever I please. If you don't like it - then YOU can leave. That's the beauty of living in a free country. (BUT if my child were to "whine, scream and cry" - I would leave. Not all parents are rude.)
PS It is my firm belief that the MAJORITY of child-haters out there are fully desperate for children themselves and are likely pathetically single and dying to not be. Most 'childless by choice' are not sensitive about babies, have no issue with children and actually enjoy having them around.