Eating out with kids, especially the little ones shouldn’t have to be a merry-go-round of tantrums. We’ve all experienced it, haven’t we? Our typical lunch out with the kids can often end in disaster, leaving us wondering why we bothered in the first place. I can see why parents eat out less and less, just to avoid the hassle of trying to keep the kids occupied. Trying to retain some sense of calm as the kids explode in our faces, while we try and ignore those dreaded stares from across the restaurant from other patrons.
 
It shouldn’t…no it doesn’t have to be like that!
On our recent trip down to Kerry we discovered the answer to all our problems. Yummy Café Market, right in the heart of Tralee town centre. Have they got it right or what?
Their café / restaurant is laid out specifically with parents in mind. Like many places in Ireland, Yummy Café Market have embraced providing nutritious food for even the fussiest kids, which is a fantastic really, but they’ve gone a few steps beyond.
 
They’ve created a purpose built play corner (with a gate) for toddlers to enjoy while their food is being cooked, and our little ones actually enjoyed this space. You can see the owners really thought about the needs of the kids, with its own play café space including kitchens, market shop and toys.

It actually goes beyond just the play area though, Yummy’s (as the locals call it) thought about pretty much everything we as parents need when we’re out with the kids, from charging stations (for gadgets & phones), to baby changing in both the men's and women's toilets (which are pretty cool, and must be seen to be believed), Yummy even have a cupboard full of family board games to play on their family sized tables. And buggy parking…no need to worry, unlike many places we’ve been, Yummy’s have left loads of space for buggies and wheelchairs to park up alongside the table.
 
Emer Tobin - Manager from Yummy Café Market says:
“We have four young kids ourselves, so the first thought was the needs of families…many restaurants consider parent and kids needs as an afterthought.”
 
“Our menu reflects the needs of families, everything is freshly made to order. Our service is quick and friendly, and we try to anticipate the needs of our customers. Our chefs are brilliant at creating dishes that people seem to love….gourmet sandwiches, tasty salads, daily hot dishes, kids meals, vegetarian and Gluten free options”
 
Everyone’s welcome at Yummy
“People had the perception, that because we were focused on the needs of families, that the café was just for parents and kids. Quickly people began to realise that because kids were so happy to come to Yummy, they were more relaxed and content eating here. We all know happy kids are quieter kids, as a result we have a lot of customers coming here without kids”
 
Not only is Yummy a brilliant place for families to use, but they’ve created a very cool, contemporary vibe about the place. The use of reclaimed timber, funky lighting and the clever us of rustic materials, helps to generate a very welcoming atmosphere as soon as you walk in the door.

“It’s been described as a bit of a Pinterest dream by some of our customers. We probably get as many compliments about the décor as we do about our great food”

Our only regret is that there isn’t a Yummy Café Market near our home, it’s amazing how much more enjoyable eating out in a place like Yummy’s is, why can’t other restaurants take a leaf out of their book and think of the real needs of families!

Yummy Café Market are incredibly social online too, we’ve checked out all their platforms online, we’d recommend following them on Facebook, and checking out their café on  Pinterest. You can also visit their website www.yummycafemarket.com