Restless children? Don’t cancel that night out just yet – check out Tasmania’s top cafes, restaurants and pubs with playgrounds. You eat, they swing. Everybody wins.
Family nights out are a sterling way to spend quality time together. But ensuring kids are entertained and everybody’s bellies are satisfied (adults and fussy eaters included) is no simple feat. Our list of Tasmania’s best cafes, restaurants and pubs with playgrounds guarantees a night to remember – for all the right reasons.
Cambridge
Red Square Cafe is family forward, through and through. This hotcake-slinging (and family-owned) address near Hobart airport offers not one but two separate and secure outdoor kids’ playgrounds for your little adventurers. Stop by for lemon pepper squid, house made granola or 18-hour beef brisket.
Launceston
The dining hall at Du Cane Brewing has fairly earnt its title as one of the best restaurants and pubs with playgrounds in Tasmania. The unique brewpub offers a climbing wall and play area for restless kiddies, knockout wood-fired pizzas and a welcoming atmosphere designed for locals, families and outdoor adventurers alike. It’s a stellar spot to fuel up at after a day on the trails or in the mountains.
Howrah
The Shoreline Hotel is a local go-to for families on the Eastern Shore with four distinct eating areas and lovely views over the Derwent River. The venue is well-catered to suit every member of the family, boasting an outdoor playground, indoor kids’ room, high chairs, wheelchair accessible facilities and pet-friendly lawn area. Guests can enjoy a diverse menu that covers the full spectrum from casual to chic, with oysters, garlic cheese pizza, lamb shank, popcorn chicken and parmigiana all up for grabs.
South Hobart
Rivulet Café is another of Tassie’s top picks when it comes fuss-free restaurants with playgrounds. The cafe hosts play groups Monday to Wednesday mornings in the adjacent fully fenced playground and indoor C3 Kids rooms. Secure parking, delicious coffee, sweet treats (did someone say lemon tart?) and classic savoury bites from toasties to lamb pies seal the deal.
Kingston
Kingdom Coffee is a community-focused cafe just 12 kilometres south of the Apple Isle’s capital. Not only are the sweet and savoury treats made locally by bakeries and the Aurora Disabilities Service, but there’s a small kids’ play area with a chalkboard wall and cubby house. The space is clean and calm, making it a perfect stop for families with younger children.
Derwent Park
Restaurants and pubs with playgrounds in Tasmania aren’t always easy to come by, but the Carlyle Hotel knows that family nights out are most successful when the kids are entertained. With a relaxed atmosphere and indoor playground that will keep the young ones endlessly enthused, the family bistro guarantees a breezy evening for all. As far as dining goes, expect classic pub grub plus a range of dishes highlighting Tassie’s spectacular fare.
Lauderdale
Located on the outskirts of Hobart, the Foreshore Hotel promises bundles of family fun. The spacious venue offers a colourful children’s play area, family bistro, beer garden and function spaces for every occasion. Meanwhile, the menu keeps every eater happy; feast on creamy arancini, steaks, schnitzels, salads, burgers or pizzas. Kids’ meals even include a soft drink and good ol’ frog in a pond.
Dunalley
Lying at the gateway to the Tasmanian Peninsula on the Arthur Highway, the historic Dunalley Hotel is one of Tasmania’s best restaurants with playgrounds. Established in 1866, the hotel offers a cosy pub ambience and hearty menu offering everything from fried chook burgers to steak sandwiches and chicken curry. To keep the kids occupied, there’s an outdoor playground with a timber suspension bridge, plus a cubby house and indoor play area with electronic games.
Cygnet
A hidden gem in the pint-sized hamlet of Cygnet (45 minutes’ drive south-west of Hobart), Red Velvet Lounge is a welcoming cafe the whole family will love. Warm up by the large wood fire and indulge in a range of delightful meals while the kids burn off energy in the play corner. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available, plus vegan and gluten-free options.
Bicheno
If you’re heading to Freycinet National Park’s famous Wineglass Bay, make sure to stop by the Pondering Frog for a meal, play and picture with Tassie’s ‘Big Frog’. One of the best cafes with playgrounds in Tasmania, the all-day restaurant serves up delicious scones, toasties, pancake stacks and seafood. Not all that hungry? Enjoy a homemade ice cream sandwich or berry Sunday while the kids visit the outdoor playground (which, of course, has a large frog slide), indoor play zone and resident farm animals.
Berriedale
If you’re looking for lively pubs with playgrounds in Tasmania, the Granada Tavern in northern Hobart ticks all the boxes. The venue’s family bistro boasts a menu inspired by Tasmania’s producers and coastal location, while the undercover kids’ play area allows parents to relax while the kids explore their imaginations in a safe space. With sport broadcasting and weekly specials, it’s the buzziest place to be in Berriedale.
Riverside
Situated just 15 minutes north of Launceston, the Riverside Hotel knows a thing or two about epic family dinners. The pub’s indoor play area helps to spark kids’ creativity, while the food menu delights parents’ palates with the likes of crispy pork belly tacos, green goddess bowls and seafood platters. On the kids’ menu you’ll find nuggets, battered fish cocktails, cheeseburgers and macaroni.
Ulverstone
The Lighthouse Bistro is a casual hangout where children can crawl through tunnels and slip down slides at Goody’s playhouse, the restaurant’s indoor playground – which is enclosed and clearly visible from the dining tables. Meals lean hearty, from lemon and thyme chicken to sweet potato curry and Tasmanian salmon. The kids’ menu even has colouring, maze and find-a-word activities for littlies who prefer creative entertainment.
Latrobe
Mackey’s Royal Hotel promises great-value meals and a convivial setting in north-western Tassie’s small river town of Latrobe – known for its heritage-listed buildings and Chocolate Winterfest festival. Live music on Saturdays keeps the vibes high, the sports bar with a pool table keeps dads happy, and the bistro’s play area keeps the kids’ amused.
Keep reading:
Tasmania family-friendly travel guide
Epic things to do in Tasmania for families
Tasmanian road trip itineraries for families
Tasmania’s Best Holiday Parks
Melbourne’s best restaurants and pubs with playgrounds
Sydney’s best restaurants and pubs with playgrounds
Brisbane’s best restaurants and pubs with playgrounds
The Gold Coast’s best restaurants and pubs with playgrounds
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