Baby Friendly Cafes/resturants in Cambridge central/villages

[hennie08]

Hi,

New to area and would appreciate some recommendations about best places to go with a 1 year old. ie: baby changing, high chairs, or soft play areas.

Thanks

John Lewis (Grand Arcade, city centre) has a very popular parents' room on the top floor (nice views as you go up in the lifts, too) with changing facilities, chairs for feeding and a big parent-and-child loo with enough room for the biggest buggy I can imagine. It's a bit too popular sometimes, when you have to queue for a changing mat or play complicated buggy Tetris to get back out again. OTOH its popularity means it can be quite sociable. You don't have to be doing any actual shopping there to use it. Boots (Petty Cury, city centre) has a duller and quieter changing and feeding room off the back of baby section on the first floor. My eight-month-old is only just big enough for the highchairs in cafes and pubs and we've never done soft play so I'm not so sure about that kind of thing.

Cambridge generally is very baby-friendly and I've had only friendly looks when breastfeeding in the middle of bookshops, squeezing the buggy into small shops etc. Lots of people (including me) like visiting the Botanic Garden with babies and toddlers - must be about twenty minutes' walk from the city centre, but very near the railway station. I'm looking forward to taking my son to Jesus Green this spring/summer as well - that's lovely as long as they don't hurl themselves into the Cam/someone's BBQ or get into a stand off with one of the swans/tightrope walkers.

Livingstones cafe on St Andrew's Street (near John Lewis) has a little play area. Michaelhouse (Trinity Street) is also a nice place to go, though doesn't have a play area.

Second the Botanic Gardens.

Cheeky Monkeys, Fulbourn (soft play). Giraffe Cafe, Cambridge City. Romsey Mill play group, Mill Road. Oh yes, Newnham will be lovely for you this summer, play park, lots of grass and a pool, that may be a little cool for a young one but overall a lovely atmosphere and park as he/she grows!!

Out in the villages, Burwash Manor is a good place to go with little ones. There are a few shops - a lovely children's shoe shop is particularly worth a visit- a small cafe, ( you cannot take your buggy in though), but what is so lovely are the animals scattered about. There are usually pigs, rabbits and chickens , which makes a routine trip a bit more fun.

There's a lovely cafe in Bourn.

Bills in town centre has a good child's menu, changing facilities and high chairs. Always packed with families and has tasty food.

Mine loved garden centres at that age. The one at Coton just to West of town was prob had best cafe for babies and toddlers as spacious and light with a little play corner.

Good point - fish at Scotsdales popular too.

and the bunnys at scotsdales!