Best Kid-Friendly Coffee Shops in the Seattle Area

National Coffee Day is Sept. 29, 2024. There’s no better place to celebrate than in Seattle, where coffee is an integral part of the culture, especially for parents. It’s a way for us to refuel, sure, but it’s also a great outing with kids, especially when you want to meet up with a friend or need to get out of the house on a gray, drizzly day. So the next time you need a little pick-me-up, head to one of these Seattle coffee shops and bring the kids. They can enjoy play areas and special treats and you can grab a really good cup of coffee. 

Kid-friendly coffee shops in the Seattle area 

• Cloud City Coffee. Located a scone’s throw from the triply awesome park that is Maple Leaf Reservoir Park, Cloud City Coffee is a real neighborhood “third place.” Going there is like visiting a friend who happens to be a terrific baker and has a living room with comfy couches and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. Delicious baked goods are made in-house. Quiche and sandwiches offer heartier options. 8801 Roosevelt Wy. N.E., Seattle. 
• Couth Buzzard Books. This community spot in the Greenwood neighborhood pairs two of our favorite things: used books and espresso. You’ll also find a children’s section, board games to play and good snacks. 8310 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle. 
• C&P Coffee. You’ll find espresso from awesome Lighthouse Coffee Roasters and baked goods from Essential Baking Company. Enjoy your treats and flip through some kids books on the comfy couches or in one of the “just right” chairs for littles. 5612 California Ave. S.W., Seattle. 
• Dubsea Coffee. Enjoy Stumptown Coffee and goodies from the best-loved bakeries in town (Macrina, Le Fournil, Little Rae’s bakeries, Mighty-O Donuts). For the kids, a reader tells us, there are toys, books, a changing table in the bathroom and room to roam, though not a separate play area. They also offer a story time on Mondays at 10:45 a.m. 9910 8th Ave. S.W., Seattle. 
• Firehouse Coffee. Firehouse has not just a table, but a small room to keep the kids busy. Take your drinks and Macrina pastries into this Ballard coffee shop’s small family room, close the door and enjoy in (relative) peace while your child plays. Ahhh. 2622 N.W. Market St., Seattle. 
• Kaffeeklatsch. For having brought good coffee to downtown Lake City, this German bakery is already beloved. It also boasts excellent bread and desserts with impossible-to-pronounce German names, yummy sandwiches, a small kids play area, and games. Plus, because it’s in a useful little strip mall, you can walk to the bank, go the library or take care of other mini errands in one sweep. 12513 Lake City Wy. N.E., Suite H, Seattle. 
• Mighty-O Donuts. They don’t have a kids space, but they do have organic, vegan doughnuts that are trans-fat-free. And they taste pretty darn good. Oh, and the original café in Wallingford is located in a vintage Seattle building just a short walk away from Green Lake. Check out the location in Ballard, too, with a window for watching the doughnut-making action. Also find cafés in Green Lake, Capitol Hill, Denny Triangle and Tukwila. Multiple locations.
• Seattle Meowtropolitan Cat Café. Serving Herkimer Coffee, Seattle’s original cat café makes kitty-inspired lattes and macarons, serves lots of other treats, and has a “cat lounge,” where (if you pay a fee) you can visit with more than a dozen cats, most of which are up for adoption. If you don’t want to pay the charge, kids can look through the windows of the cat room. It’s $16 per person for a 50-minute visit to the cat lounge and kids must be 6 or older; book online (it really is quite fun). 1225 N. 45th St., Seattle.
• Serendipity Café. Opened by Magnolia families for Magnolia families, Serendipity is a favorite in the neighborhood. Playroom, good coffee, extensive kids menu, appealing options for adults (including “grown-up mac and cheese”) — what’s not to like? It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. 3222 W. McGraw St., Seattle. 
• Swansons Café. This hidden gem, located in the conservatory inside Swansons Nursery in north Ballard offers coffee, pastries and light meals. Visit for the tropical atmosphere, sweet treats, or breakfast and lunch menu, and stay to watch the koi in their own private oasis. After lunch, pull the kids in a wagon and plan your garden while strolling through the lush rows of plants. 9701 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle. 
• The Station. Located just across from Beacon Hill’s light rail station, this coffee shop aims to serve as both a community hub and a safe haven for all kinds of people, and it hosts the Beacon Hill Block Party every year. “Great coffee with awesome community involvement,” says a reader. 1600 S. Roberto Maestas Festival St., Seattle. 
• Top Pot Doughnuts. We love the Wedgwood location for outings with kids: The covered outdoor seating is very Seattle-by-way-of-Palm-Springs. The doughnuts stacked in a glass case at the front counter are irresistible, and the ice cream is Wedgwood’s best. And it’s a short walk to the Wedgwood library or an excellent treat stop on the way to or from Magnuson Park. Multiple locations.

Kid-friendly coffee shops on the Eastside 

• Crossroads Bellevue. This ultra-family-friendly Bellevue mall (play spaces, coin-operated rides, giant chess, international food court) also has some good caffeine stops, including Starbucks and The French Bakery. 15600 N.E. Eighth St., Bellevue.
• Five Stones Coffee Company. Although Five Stones doesn’t have a play area, readers tell us it has “amazing coffee,” “super-friendly staff,” “a welcoming vibe,” and “delicious toasts with toppings like ricotta, honey, etc. that kids love!” Locations in Redmond, Kirkland and Bellevue.
• Hoffman’s Fine Cakes & Pastries. Spacious and kid-friendly, this spot offers lots of yummy treats and a breakfast and lunch menu. Kiddos will love all the fun (and delicious) cookie options. Across the street, find Redmond’s downtown park; down the street is Half Price Books. 16175 Cleveland St., Redmond. 
• Issaquah Coffee Company. Located in Gilman Village, you’ll find comfy chairs (or outdoor seating on the porch) and a great play area for kids, complete with a train track. They roast their own coffee beans, offer lots of tasty bakery treats and have been officially recognized as the “Best Coffee Shop in Issaquah.” 317 N.W. Gilman Blvd. #47, Issaquah. 
• SoulFood Coffee House. This community-driven coffee shop in downtown Redmond has a nice play area, reports a reader, replete with toys and books. SoulFood also hosts live music and other events. 15748 Redmond Wy., Redmond. 
• Thruline Coffee Co (formally known as Rococo Coffee Roasting). Located in the heart of downtown Kirkland (near Peter Kirk Park and the Kirkland Library), this family-friendly shop roasts its own coffee beans and boasts treats from Alki Bakery. 136 Park Ln., Kirkland. 

Kid-friendly coffee shops north of Seattle

• Diva Espresso, The Hangar. Tucked away in Kenmore, just a block off the Burke Gilman Trail, is an intriguing public space called The Hangar, with a public plaza, a fountain, indoor spaces (that you can use and reserve for free) and a branch of Diva Espresso, which, a reader tells us, has “inexpensive, kid-friendly drinks and great coffee for parents.”  6728 N.E. 181st St., Kenmore (there are six other locations in Seattle).
• Frost. Frost bakes up artisan doughnuts and macarons in crazy-cool flavors (Snickers Raised Ring and Caramel Apple Fritter, to name just two). 15217 Main St., Mill Creek. 
• Honey Bear Bakery at Third Place Commons. Honey Bear Bakery lives on at Lake Forest Park’s Third Place Commons, one of a number of good eateries in the food court. There’s a good-sized play area, a giant chess area, live performances on the adjacent stage and, of course, all the magic of the bookstore. 17171 Bothell Wy. N.E., Lake Forest Park. 

Kid-friendly coffee shops in South King County and South Sound

• 85°C Bakery Café. This Hong Kong-based chain of Taiwanese bakeries offers 50 varieties of pastries at reasonable prices. Use the Tukwila location as a launching point for fun at Southcenter Mall. There are also locations in Bellevue, Renton, Federal Way, Edmonds and Lynnwood. Multiple locations.
• Anthem Coffee. The Puyallup location of this family of cafés (it has five other South Sound locations) is a hip meeting place for families, offering coffee, tea, and even beer, if it’s been that kind of a day. 210 W. Pioneer Ave., Puyallup. 
• Auntie Irene’s. Just a few blocks from the Des Moines Marina, you can settle in at this cozy shop with an ice cream cone, latte or pastry. They also serve paninis, sandwiches and salads. No time? Cruise through the drive-through. 22504 Marine View Dr. S., Des Moines. 
• Common Ground Coffee & Cupcakes. This sweet little shop is located in old downtown Renton and offers cupcakes with fun flavors, plus cookies and other desserts. We think your crew will probably be occupied with the treats in front of them, but if not there are toys for them and Wi-Fi for you. 900 S. Third St., Renton. 
• Lift Bridge Coffee. Visiting downtown Tacoma? Fuel up at this urban multi-roaster coffee shop on the main floor of Court House Square. Enjoy the historic architecture and art on the walls while noshing on Spilled Butter pastries. Important note: It is not open on weekends. 1102 A St., Tacoma.
• Red Elm Café. Run by three sisters, this Tacoma café offers ethically sourced and delicious coffee from Caravan Coffee and a small, but inspired, breakfast and lunch menu ranging from grilled cheese to avocado toast. Kids can get wiggles out at the small play area, and there’s a community room you can book for your next meeting. 1114 M.L.K. Jr. Wy., Tacoma. 
• The Spar. You might not think The Spar (Tacoma’s oldest saloon) would be kid-friendly, but you’d be wrong. The Spar serves coffee as well as breakfast and lunch fare. A reader raves about the chill atmosphere and little nook with toys for kids. 2121 N. 30th St., Tacoma.
• Wanna Cupcake?. This Puyallup pick offers a wide range of cupcakes (including gluten-free options), as well as soups, salads, sandwiches, cookies and, of course, espresso. Locations in Puyallup and University Place. 

Editor’s note: This article was originally published many years ago and updated most recently in September 2024 by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson. All locations were fact-checked.