Most people think that once you have children, you can’t enjoy the same lifestyle that you did before. Although you wouldn’t want to take them to all of the rowdy clubs that you once frequented, you can still take them to a few of your favourite restaurants: you just have to be smart about it.
My fiancé and I always loved visiting Olympia Cafe in Kalk Bay. The food is fresh, affordable, not to mention fantastic. But, up until a few weeks ago, we were worried about what the experience would be like if we took our 16-month old. Because of their popularity, Olympia Cafe is always busy, a bit loud, and you often have to write your name on a white board and wait around for an available seat: a recipe for disaster with a small toddler!
But, en route to an early family visit in Muizenberg a few months ago, we decided to make the trek from town out to Kalk Bay for an early breakfast. To our surprise, the café had a number of free tables, and we could even manoeuvre the pram around the empty spaces to a free table with ease. The staff were extremely helpful, and they all doted on our son trying to get him to laugh and offering us treats they thought that he might enjoy.
We ordered our breakfasts (a spinach and feta croissant; a sausage with scrambled eggs; mushrooms, toast, and tomato) a couple of hot drinks, including a baby cappuccino, and before we knew it, it felt like old times again. Turns out we weren’t the only ones to enjoy the benefits of Olympia Cafe – our son now enjoys it too!
Since then, we’ve visited a handful of times, and last weekend we even went with a large group: four adults, two children and one toddler, and it still worked out. The key to success, it seems, is to arrive early.
So, next time you’re craving something tasty from your pre-parenting life, but you’ve got the kids with you, take a chance, be adventurous, and try it out – just be smart about it!
Contact
Olympia Cafe
Tel 021-788-6396
Email [email protected]
