Anyday Adventures

http://www.thehungrypeacock.com.au/the-busy-peacock/

16 Mornington – Tyabb Road (Off Peacock Rd),
Tyabb, VIC

If you’re a parent on the Mornington Peninsula chances are you’ve heard of this little gem; The Hungry Peacock. It is an exceptionally kid friendly café that is unlike any place myself and Missy Moo have been together. We love it, and go often. It teams up nicely with The Busy Peacock next door (they share a common courtyard and toilet facilities), which runs messy play sessions throughout the week. See my full review here.

From this picture you might just think it looks like any old café (albeit with plentiful bunting), but there’s a lot going both inside and out of the café. Let’s talk about some of the good things….

The good stuff.

Food
Extremely tasty. I’ve had a few different items on the menu here and whatever I get I’m always really pleased with. Today I had a ham, cheese and tomato toasty. It even comes with a bonus cheese layer melted onto the outside. Yummy. The Hungry Peacock have a vision to serve “real food”, and you can really tell. The food is as good as anywhere we eat, kid friendly or not. I hear the burgers have a bit of a reputation for being out of this world, but I’m yet to try one…next visit.

Dinner is also served at the Hungry Peacock on Friday and Saturday nights, and for special events throughout the year, bookings are essential though. Enjoy your beer or bubbles, local ciders  and even family fondue! Take away is available too if you’re a peninsula local. In the past I’ve been for dinner and it was amazing!! Highly recommend it.

Outdoor space.
The entire facility is fenced in! Take that toddlers. This outdoor space includes multiple tables, plus a sand pit, cubby house, a few toys, and a couple of other small play spaces throughout. It doesn’t feel crowded and there is lots of shade. You are welcome to drag highchairs outside too.

Indoor play area.
The indoor play area at the back of the café is really quite special. There is a little bit of seating (not much), but lots of play space. There’s a “baby cage”, a play kitchen, a construction area, a racetrack, and a busy wall.

Pricing.
We have been to many play cafes that charge per child. I love that The Hungry Peacock is a café with play spaces, not a play space with food. The don’t charge per child etc, you just pay for your meal, nothing more.

Kid friendly.
It wouldn’t be kid friendly without a few things, and the Hungry Peacock does kid friendly very well. Plastic cups, high chairs, kids menu, potty seat in toilet, change table, and a kick ass babychino.

Areas for improvement.

Service.
I’ve been to the Hungry Peacock many times and must report that the sometimes (not always) the service can be a little slow, this is for a few reasons. We have only ever been to the café after a session at the Busy Peacock next door. What this means is suddenly the café is flooded with 20 new hungry families all ordering lunch at once, and the kitchen they have to work in is super tiny, so that can slow things up a bit. The Peacock prides itself on quality food which does take time. If you’re looking for a quick bite and you’re in a hurry, grab a cookie and a coffee. If you’re after a meal, order a cheeky drink, sit back and relax while your meal is on getting prepared. Don’t worry, your kids will have plenty to do while they wait.

Kid friendly..
Ok, hear me out. This café is really fantastic if  you have kids, but if you don’t (despite the awesome food), I’d give it a miss. The play spaces and eating spaces are intertwined, so if you don’t want toddlers potentially asking you for some of your lunch, bringing you a random toy, or wanting a chat – then this isn’t the place for you. If you have kids though, check it out. (On Friday and Saturday nights the courtyard is set aside as adults only, so that might suit better if you’re wanting to try an amazing burger without the kid factor).

Overall we really like the Hungry Peacock. It’s a great place to relax after a messy play session at the Busy Peacock; the staff are friendly and the coffee is good. I’d give it a 7.5/10, really only losing marks because occasionally the food takes a bit longer to prepare than I would like. Check it out for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.