The Red Balloon Cafe+Play

Took my 4 yr old grandson today and he had a fabulous time. Play area was clean, well organized and plenty large for lots of fun. Food was great as well — nice fresh croissants and wonderful sandwiches. Would highly recommend this as a great place to take young children.

I couldn’t wait for Red Balloon to open and it did not disappoint! Great place to play with the kiddos (ages 1.5 and 3), super friendly and helpful staff, and the food is absolutely delicious (I especially recommend the Thai cashew salad for adults and the «pick 3» lunch option for kids: turkey, avocado, apples is our favorite). A must-​go destination for parents looking for a low-​key, cozy and fun outing.

Great place for a birthday party or just to play! All kinds of activities and learning through play for a big range of ages. Great coffee and food too!

I really like the concept of «café & play» places that are popping up. I’ve been to the Red Balloon a few times and my child really enjoys it. However, as an adult, it’s not my favorite.
Cons: The play room is freezing cold! They usually have fans going plus it’s a cement floor (with padded areas near structures and in the baby area). It’s not a very cozy atmosphere; I wish they had a small carpeted area. The large play structure makes me nervous because it’s raw plywood and is really tall. Also, the slide is extremely fast! My child practically flew off at the bottom. Luckily, my child is too small for the play structure right now. There is a water area where kids can play, which is nice and unique for this type of place, however, it’s a little hazardous and difficult for short kids to play in the water.
Pros: Their food service used to be extremely slow, but last time I was in there, my latte was made quickly and we only waited a few minutes for my child’s food. They definitely improved!
The staff is friendly (especially the women at the sign in for the play room!). The play room is big so it doesn’t feel too crowded even when there are a lot of kids. There is a small area for little babies/​kids with a couch for the parents :) There are two coloring/​craft tables that my child enjoyed.
I’ll definitely be back, but there are other «café & play» establishments around the city that are a little cozier and more baby/​toddler-​friendly.

Ok. I hate writing negative reviews. But I feel the need to offer some constructive criticism because the underlying concept of this place is great. However, the food ordering and preparation process is beyond SLOW!!! I truly almost packed up and left. It was ridiculous. There has got to be a better process or a need for more employees. That being said, the menu selection and food was very good. But I honestly will not be back at lunch time because it was such a disaster. The staff are very friendly. There needs to be a better defined shoe/​no shoe area. I almost feel the cubbies should be in a complete separate room from play area. The floors were fairly dirty. I did not want to put my 6 month old down… And I am not a first time mom nor a germ freak! Again, I would like this place to succeed so I hope they make some necessary changes. If they do, I feel it could be a success.

Ordered and waited a half hour for our food. Finally, when it didn’t come, we left.

Imagine the McDonald’s PlayPlace concept reimagined by crunchy-​granola Vermonters. With good food.
This place is delightful and well worth a visit! The café is beautifully designed and mod. Lots of white surfaces, a warm wooden counter and a few pops of red. My table number was a cute red balloon, a nice nod to the café’s name. The highchairs had a bright red Scandinavian vibe.
The food was excellent– delicious, healthful and well priced. Stopped by for lunch and had the ham, cheese and pesto on ciabatta. Tasted great and the ciabatta was pleasantly soft. I also enjoyed the mango/​passionfruit fizz and a very chocolatety gluten-​free brownie. I was sans kids and had a lovely lunch, but this place is also very, very kid-​friendly.
The middle part of the café sells eco-​friendly baby toys and the back has an awesome-​looking play area for kids and babies. The highlight is a large custom wooden playset.
A real winner!

What a neat little café! The service was quick and friendly, and the food was fresh and delicious! The space is quite large inside, which is deceiving from the outside. There is a large play area in the back for kids, but there is a separate dining space up front if you want to separate yourself from the kids :). The menu is creative and a few other things sounded great, that I didn’t get to try. I’ll be back! PS: they serve breakfast too!

We love this place! It’s perfect for my 3 and 6 year old kids. The playroom is very large and very clean and spacious. There is more than enough for them to do. When they need a break they can go out into the café area and play board games and read books, which is a great feature.
The food is absolutely amazing. This is one one of the only places I feel good about purchasing food for my children. It’s all healthy, and the majority of it is organic. Everything is super flavorful and delicious. My kids love the «adult» food, but for pickier eaters they offer a «pick 3» kids menu where you can choose 1 protein, 1 grain/​starch, and 1 fruit/​veggie, plus a drink, all for only $ 5! There are about 30 choices the kids can choose from, so definitely something for everyone.
The baked goods are amazing, and I do let my kids have a treat from there most days, with no guilt whatsoever. We come here anytime it’s too hot/​cold/​raining outside, and stay for hours. They also offer birthday party packages and have an extensive store of «green items,» everything from baby carriers to cloth diapers to toys. Highly recommend this place!

Very good deeper roots coffee! A healthy lunch menu, the play room is minimalistic and simple, not overwhelming at all, but also not boring. The water table is a great feature! They have a large selection of cloth diapers, wraps, slings, baby and family items.
However the playroom is quite loud and echoes if you have sound sensitive kiddos or parents and the food is on the very healthy side which is super yummy, but may want to pack a lunch if you have a picky eater.
Over all it’s a good place to hang out on super hot or really icky rainy days. Love it!