From the outside, the Little Olive Leaf Café looks like any other café where you might pick up a takeaway coffee and continue about your business.
The Little Olive Leaf Café.
On the inside, however, you'd be surprised to find a lovely, leafy green courtyard at the back of the café with lots of shade and plenty of things for the kids to do.
Inside the café.
My daughter takes swimming lessons just around the corner, and this is the second time we've stumbled upon a child-friendly café serving great coffee in the area. The café is also opposite a playground, making it a popular spot for families looking for a bite to eat or to grab a takeaway for the park.
The display cabinet.
I couldn't see a
menu on arrival, but I wasn't after a big meal because it wasn't quite lunchtime. Plus these days I have to find something my daughter will eat too, so I lingered around the display cabinet before choosing a ham, cheese and tomato toasted sandwich. Together with a coffee, I paid a little under $10 for a mid-morning snack, which is reasonable by Perth standards. I was greeted by friendly service and a smile.
The display cabinet had a large selection of breads, cakes, sandwiches, croissants, pies and small meals, such as salads. There is a large drinks fridge containing all sorts of juices, soft drinks, water and kids' juices. They also sell hot and cold coffees and teas.
The outside area.
We chose a seat outside – we had no choice, given the small seating area inside was full – but I was pleasantly surprised by the little oasis that greeted us.
Lots of greenery here.
The entire outdoor area is well shaded by the greenery, and the tables and chairs are surrounded by plants and covered with leafy trees. On one side of the courtyard is a chalkboard for the kids to draw on and create masterpieces, while this section also has a toilet with a change table.
The kids section.
On the other side of the courtyard is a kids play area, which is a great way to keep the kids entertained while mum and dad enjoy a coffee. The area has a kid-sized bench and table with a box full of toys. There's also an adult-sized bench just behind the play area, which I thought was really handy for parents. There are also high chairs available.
Lots of lovely shade.
Our snack arrived with the same friendly smile. The coffee was delicious – creamy and clearly a good quality bean. My ham, cheese and tomato toasted sandwich arrived shortly after – it was cooked through and hot, while the cheese was super tasty and the tomato juicy. Olivia and I shared our morning tea and there was only a few crumbs leftover.
A lovely spot of morning tea.
Upon leaving I was curious to see what the menu contained, so I tracked one down and found a lot of what was in the display cabinet. Their breakfast menu is a mixture of croissants, wraps and rolls plus some interesting items, such as Mexican baked eggs and chia pudding cups.
Carawatha Park, opposite the Little Olive Leaf Café.
I'd promised by daughter I'd take her to the park after (even though she's only 18 months old and I probably could've gotten away with not going - bad mummy) so off we toddled to the playground directly opposite the café.
Carawatha playground.
This playground is clearly popular with parents looking for a coffee fix while the kids blow off a bit of steam. There is a mixture of nature play, water play and sensory play, slides and swings, plus a small basketball court and footy goal posts. There are toilets at the park, plus a scooter and bike track around the park. There is also a separate area with outdoor exercise equipment.
The Little Olive Leaf Café is great for a coffee stop or for a sit-down breakfast or lunch outside in the greenery while the kids have a little play in the fresh air.
