13 Best Coffee Shops in Philly to Bring Your Kids When You Need Caffeine

Ultimo Coffee serves up treats and pours hearts all day. Photo courtesy of the shop
Ultimo Coffee serves up treats and pours hearts all day. Photo courtesy of the shop
1/15/23 - By Hillary Moses Mohaupt

We found the best coffee shops in Philly that are welcoming to kids so you can get your caffeine fix with the littles in tow.

We've all been there—kids up early and needing to burn some energy before we've finished our first cup of coffee. Luckily, the Philadelphia region is home to coffee shops and other café spaces that brew up caffeinated beverages and offer delicious baked goods, while also making it easy, safe, and even fun for children to play and explore. We've rounded up some of our favorite kid-friendly coffee shops in and near Philly, where kids can chill while you caffeinate. 

For more dining destinations that welcome the kiddos, visit our Philadelphia Restaurant Guide for Families, featuring our favorite restaurants where kids can play and of course our essential cheesesteak roundup.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Kid-Friendly Coffee Shops in Philadelphia

1. Adelie—West Mount Airy

This small-ish coffee shop in Mount Airy is open every day and features New York bagels as well as coffee drinks, teas, and toasties. The staff makes the shop inviting for families with a variety of toys that kids can enjoy while you sip your coffee in peace.

2. Green Line Café—West Philadelphia

There are several great Green Line locations around Philly, but we especially love the West Philly spot for kids, as it looks out onto Clark Park, so it’s easy to grab breakfast, a snack, or a much-needed infusion of caffeine en route to play outside. The menu often includes vegan and gluten-free options.

3. High Point Café—West Mt. Airy

Another spot with lots of locations. The Mount Airy High Point is located within the Allen Lane Train Station, making it a slam dunk for kids. The coffee, baked goods, and crepes are delicious for everyone, but the atmosphere is the real winner for any kid who loves watching for trains (and really what kid doesn't?).

4. Kith +  Kin—Brewerytown

Not a bona fide coffee shop, but the folks at this indoor playspace know what tired parents need. Coffee and snacks are sold in the café area, where food and drink must remain in order to keep the beautiful playspace clean for the kiddos.  

OCF Coffee pop tarts Philladelphia best coffee shops with kids
Kids will love the house-made pop tarts at OCF Coffee. 

5. OCF Coffee—Fairmount

Spacious and bright with comfy seating and decadent baked goods that will quiet any kiddo down, plus a community chalkboard that highlights all the amazing happenings in the area. OCF is steps away from kid-friendly spots like Ali's Wagon and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

6. Sister Cities Café—Logan Square

This bright and open café has plenty of indoor seating options and a menu that includes kid-friendly favorites as well as coffee. It's also right next to the park's Children's Discovery Garden and splash pad, not to mention walking distance to some of Philadelphia’s best museums including the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Note that the café is closed during the winter months.

7. Ultimo—Germantown

This spacious location is one of four in the city. Each quarter of the year, they donate 5% of their net profits to important social justice organizations or causes, which means you not only get great coffee but you also help fund a better future for children and families in Philadelphia and across the United States.

8. Uncle Bobbie's—Germantown

What beats coffee and books? How about a bookstore that sells coffee and hosts a weekly storytime for kids? The menu includes vegan baked goods, and the bookstore is the official bookseller for the Free Library of Philadelphia – plus they also sell children’s games.

9. Vibrant Coffee—Rittenhouse

Located just outside Rittenhouse Square, this is a great place to pop in to grab some coffee and snacks before spending the morning running around in the park.

Green Engine Coffee Philadelphia best coffee shops with kids
Enjoy the bright open space and stash of kids' books at Green Engine Coffee. Photo by Liz Baill @creativishmom

Kid-Friendly Coffee Shops in the Suburbs

10. GET Café—Narberth

This café is a community space offering programs and employment opportunities for neurodivergent people as well as teens and adults with disabilities. The coffee shop also often hosts live music and sources a lot of its baked goods from other local businesses.

11. Green Engine Coffee—Haverford

This big, bright, and sunny coffee shop has comfy sitting areas and window seats and a stash of children's books for kids to enjoy. It's also located directly across the street from Children's Book World, which makes it super easy to pair fancy espresso drinks with a morning browsing for your child’s new favorite reads.

12. The Landing Kitchen—Bala Cynwyd

Spacious outdoor seating, plus lawn games like corn hole and bocce ball, makes this the perfect spot to caffeinate while both human and furry kids roam. In cooler months, sit by the outdoor fireplace or in the gorgeous greenhouse.  

13. Lulu’s Casita—Ardmore and Westchester

Their tagline is "a café where kids can play," and Lulu's delivers. Head here for an awesome, contained  indoor playspace, alongside a coffee bar where grown-ups can lounge and chat from a safe distance while the kids happily let off steam.

Places featured in this article: