25 Coffee Shops In Austin With Playgrounds: A Guide For Parents
Ahhhh…that first sip of hot coffee in the morning… Except you pick up your coffee mug and realize the coffee has gone cold in the time it took you to get the toddlers up and dressed, change the baby’s diaper, and make everyone’s breakfast. Sound familiar? Same. Here’s my solution: find one of these amazing Austin coffee shops with playgrounds so you can have 10 minutes to sit and enjoy your latte. The little ones can run around and be entertained, and everyone leaves happier.
I’m going to share some of my favorite Austin coffee shops that kids will love, too. I’m raising my kids in Austin, so I’m constantly seeking out family-friendly places that I’ll enjoy (excellent coffee, a pretty ambiance) where my two toddlers will also have fun.
I’ll be sure to share whether each coffee shop has an indoor or outdoor play space, a few helpful tidbits about parking, and (of course) I’ll mention the quality of the coffee.
I’ve found that the most difficult thing to find when I’m looking for kid-friendly coffee shops is a place that actually has good coffee! A lot of these places with playgrounds just aren’t really up to par with some of the very best coffee shops in Austin, but I found a few that actually have a decent coffee program so you can enjoy a stellar cappuccino.
These kid-friendly coffee shops are also some of my favorite places to meet up with my mom friends for coffee dates! We get to sit and chat while we drink coffee (granted, they’re very “toddler-mom-type-of-conversations that are interrupted halfway through most sentences..you know how it is!) and catch up on life. The little ones get to play at the cute indoor coffee shops or enjoy the pretty outdoor weather. Maybe we’ll even order a few pastries for the kids to enjoy.
I absolutely love that Austin has so many kid-friendly restaurants, amazing breweries with full food menus, and coffee shops with playgrounds. Use the map below to find an Austin coffee shop with a playground near you!
25 Austin Coffee Shops With Playgrounds For Kids
Littlefield’s
Named after the famous track and field coach at University of Texas, Littlefield’s is an outdoor kid-friendly cafe with food trucks in Tarrytown. The food trucks are currently Veracruz (tacos) and Goldy’s/Cookie Rich (coffee, cookies, and all sorts of good food items). The coffee trucks have rotated out throughout the years (it was previously Medici Roasting, and then it was a Fleet Coffee truck, and now you can order your coffee at Goldy’s food truck.)
Littlefield’s is absolutely adorable. It’s a small corner turf-covered area with lots of patio seating, picnic tables, shady trees, and space for children to run around in a fenced-in area that’s completely safe from all the traffic. And the food and coffee are both wonderful!
A few things to note about Littlefield’s:
- The weekends get insanely busy. I highly recommend meeting up with a friend for a weekday coffee date. Friday afternoons and Saturday/Sunday mornings are just crazy!
- Parking is crowded. They only have about 5 parking spots in the adjacent lot, so you’ll most likely have to find (free) neighborhood parking in one of the nearby streets and walk. If you have very young children, bring a stroller because you might have to walk a block or two.
WEBSITE | 2401 Winsted Ln, Austin, TX 78703
Merit at The Triangle
If you’re a bit of a coffee snob and you want some of the best coffee in Austin at a kid-friendly cafe, you definitely need to head to Merit - Triangle location! No, the coffee shop doesn’t have a playspace within the cafe, but it’s located at The Triangle, which has a big playground in the middle of all the shops.
All of the restaurants (Mandola, Hopdody, etc) at The Triangle share this one playground, but in the morning hours it’s pretty quiet. It’s a wonderful space to sit down with your delicious cappuccino from Merit and let the children run around and burn some energy.
(Psst: make sure you get a pastry at Merit. They’re SO good!)
WEBSITE | 4615 N Lamar Blvd #303a, Austin, TX 78751
Lazarus Brewing (Airport Blvd location)
Since the name “brewing” is in the name, a lot of people forget that Lazarus also has a great coffee program…which means it’s never very crowded in the morning hours!
Lazarus brewing has two locations, but the Airport location has a cute little outdoor play space. Get your espresso and breakfast tacos and then relax on the patio for a moment while your little ones play nearby.
Sure, the evening brewery crowd makes parking a bit tight in the PM, but I’ve never had a problem getting a lot or street parking spot in the morning hours. I also love this spot as a place to bring my laptop and get some work done in the morning, whether my children are with me or not.
WEBSITE | 4803 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
Brentwood Social House
Easily one of the cutest, most charming Austin coffee shops with a playground! Brentwood Social House is an English-style tea and coffeehouse inside a renovated home. It has multiple rooms, the kindest owners, incredible authentic British pastries (get the scones and the Millionaire’s bar!), and a lot of tea options. They also have a full coffee bar, in case tea isn’t your thing.
I absolutely adore Brentwood Social House when I’m with my children because they have both an indoor and an outdoor play space. The outdoor playground is a full-sized playground. It actually just feels like you’re playing in someone’s backyard. (Btw, you can rent out this backyard space for birthday parties!)
The adorable indoor play space is for younger children (think, 3 and under) and it’s tucked into one of those little rooms in the corner. Since it’s a little bit private, it’s an easy place to bring your children because you don’t have to worry about them interrupting conversations or bothering people who are there to work on their laptops.
WEBSITE | 1601 W Koenig Ln, Austin, TX 78756
Madrone Coffee Co.
Madrone started in the hill country and then opened this Oak Hill Cafe in order to have a presence closer to Austin. It’s a BIG cafe (it’s in the building that used to be Austin Pizza), and there’s a large outdoor seating area with a playground.
The coffee is pretty good (not quite up to par with Merit, listed earlier, but still good!) and there’s a lot of parking. However, Madrone is located near the Y (which is a traffic and construction disaster right now) so it’s not a place where you would want to bring very small children who run off. (Think: 2-year-olds who might dart into traffic.) If your children are slightly older and know not to run into unsafe areas (maybe 4 years and older?) then this is absolutely one of the best kid-friendly Austin coffee shops with an epic playground!
WEBSITE | 6266 US-290, Austin, TX 78735
The Hive
The Hive is on that row of really cool bars/restaurants/coffee shops on South Menchaca. It’s meant to be a gathering place for creatives, locals, and parents where they can network, relax, and bring children to play.
It really is made for kids! They have a lot of kid-friendly food on the menu, and the big backyard space has a huge playground and plays pace area. This is a popular place for weekend birthday parties, but on the weekdays it’s just a quiet spot to get your caffeine fix and a breakfast taco and play with your children.
WEBSITE |10542 Menchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78748
Meanwhile Brewing Co.
Similarly to Lazarus Brewing, I’ve found that this incredible kid-friendly spot in Austin is mostly empty in the morning hours….but they have EXCELLENT coffee! You can easily get a parking spot, order your hot or iced beverage, and enjoy outdoor seating in the beer garden near that awesome treehouse/playground at the center of the property.
Meanwhile is home to several excellent food trucks, and Pueblo Viejo is open in the morning for breakfast taco orders.
WEBSITE | 3901 Promontory Point Dr, Austin, TX 78744
Flitch Coffee
I absolutely adore this coffee truck in east Austin. It’s permanently parked in a gravel driveway, and if you’re a parent to young toddlers you know that rocks + toy trucks = entertainment.
I’ll stop by to order an iced latte in the summer, bring a few Tonka trucks for my boys to play with, and enjoy a minute of peace while they play outside.
WEBSITE | 641 Tillery St, Austin, TX 78702
Doxa Coffee (Way South Food Truck Park)
This coffee truck in south Austin is located at the Way South Food Truck Park. It’s an AWESOME food truck park with lots of space and parking, a few excellent restaurant options, and….a playground!
Doxa Coffee Roasting roasts their own beans for their full coffee menu. Their pastries are delicious, and they even have a few gluten-free options. {Photo: Allie R, Yelp}
WEBSITE | 11300 Old San Antonio Rd, Manchaca, TX 78652
Easy Tiger South Lamar
I’ve found Easy Tiger locations to be fun Austin restaurants for children, but the south location is my favorite! They have an outdoor play area that my little ones love.
Easy Tiger is Austin’s biggest bakeries and beer gardens. You can find their bread and pastries on restaurant menus, in grocery stores, and in nearby cafes.
Their bakeshop is open early and they have free WiFi. Stop by for a chocolate croissant or a blueberry muffin, or get a full breakfast with their egg sandwich or a breakfast bowl. Or swing by for their delicious sandwiches and salads in the afternoon. The play space is great at any time of day!
WEBSITE | 3508 S Lamar Blvd #300, Austin, TX 78704
Batch Craft Beer and Kolaches
This eastside patio is an absolute gem! It’s a kolache bakery, a brewery, and a coffee shop. It’s a wonderful place to stop by at any time of the day, but if you’re looking for a kid-friendly Austin coffee shop, go early in the day.
I love to get a ham and cheese kolache and an iced latte and sit outside at one of the (many) patio tables. There’s a little play area for kids in the corner with a few turf-covered hills and some toys. Plus, there’s plenty of space to just run around, so I never feel like it’s crowded or my children are intruding on the “adult” space.
WEBSITE | 3220 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78723
Progress Coffee and Beer in Buda
Progress Coffee and Beer is in Buda, so if you’re a south Austinite this one will be a great option for you. It’s a very similar feel to the popular Austin all-day spots like Radio Coffee and Beer or Cosmic Coffee, but Progress was so smart and decided to put in a playground. Yes!
Order your coffee and pastries at the bar, and then take them outside to the front yard where children can play on the playground. There are a couple food trucks here, including a location of Pueblo Viejo (the same truck that’s parked at Meanwhile Brewing) so you can get your breakfast taco fix.
WEBSITE | 750 FM2001, Buda, TX 78610
Malone Specialty Coffee
You might have seen Malone coffee on grocery store shelves, or in other nearby cafes. They have a fairly robust roasting program and a few coffee truck locations around town. But the Malone Cafe in Wells Branch is a cute kid-friendly coffee shop for you to enjoy a sit-down coffee in an air conditioned space.
The kids corner is small, so it’s most suitable for toddlers over older kids. There are a few toys for them to enjoy while you sip your coffee and chat with a friend.
WEBSITE | 14735 Bratton Ln #210, Austin, TX 78728
Radio/Cosmic/Radio EAST
All of these all-day Austin coffee/beer gardens are very kid-friendly! You’ll see plenty of parents here with their children at all hours of the day, but weekends are particularly busy. I love stopping by on weekday mornings before it gets too crowded.
Radio and Radio EAST have better coffee than Cosmic, but all 3 of these spots have a full coffee program, pastries, breakfast tacos at the food trucks, and lots of outdoor space for children to play. Psst: the barbecue truck at Cosmic Coffee is where it's at if you're able to stop by in the afternoon!
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
Tot Box Play Cafe
Located in Round Rock TX, this is a great option for you if you live in north Austin (or further north!). Tot Box isn’t really a “coffee shop” as much as it’s a place for kids to play that also has some coffee for the (tired) parents.
You’ll need to book a play session here for a 2-hour window. But it’s absolutely worth it, because the play spaces are beautiful! Young children love this play cafe, and parents can enjoy a lavender latte and a dedicated amount of time to sit and relax or get some work done. {Photo: Elyssa D, Yelp}
WEBSITE | 403 N Mays St, Round Rock, TX 78664
Double Trouble
Double Trouble is a cocktail bar, food truck park, and coffee shop….and yes, it’s a kid-friendly place to order a cappuccino! While I wouldn’t necessarily want to bring children here in the evenings (it’s more “bar” vibes later in the day), the morning hours are a great time to stop by and let kids play nearby while I enjoy my coffee and breakfast taco.
WEBSITE | 103 N Loop Blvd E, Austin, TX 78751
Hat Creek
Ok, I’m aware that when you’re looking for Austin coffee shops with playgrounds you probably don’t have “burger restaurant” on your radar. But don’t forget about Hat Creek’s breakfast menu! Hat Creek is so much more than just burgers and fries.
They have multiple locations in the Austin area that are open early with breakfast tacos, pancakes, and breakfast bowls available.
The only coffee option is a drip coffee (no fancy coffee beverages here), but with that awesome fenced-in playground area and the yummy breakfast options, I’m not complaining. This really is one of the best places to meet up with a fellow parent for a friend date while the children are entertained nearby.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
Cenote
Cenote is one of the most “Austin-y” coffee shops around. It’s in east Austin inside a historic building on Cesar Chavez, and it’s been in the Austin coffee scene for years and years. While it definitely is a coffee shop, they also have an all-day menu of delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes, as well as beer and wine. It’s a spot to hang out - with kids or not!
If you are looking for a kid-friendly coffee shop in Austin, though, Cenote has a small kids play area on the outdoor patio.
WEBSITE | 1010 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
Juiceland (Lake Austin Location, Oak Hill, and Brodie locations)
Juiceland is Austin’s biggest fresh juice and smoothie chain. Have you ever tried their coffee, though? They call them “superfood lattes and tonics” on the menu, but they have a basic cold brew that you can order. They also have fancier lattes, like an oat milk latte made with coffee, coconut oil, and cinnamon, and various golden mylk and matcha lattes.
You can find locations ALL over the city, but here are some of the best kid-friendly Juiceland locations:
Lake Austin location: it’s a walk-up window near Lady Bird Lake, and there’s a rocky patio where my little ones love to play with trucks.
Oak Hill location: this one is known for its drive-thru, but did you know that there’s a little play area inside?
Brodie location: the Brodie location also has a small play area for kids.
WEBSITE | Multiple locations
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