For all those times when caffeine is the only answer. You might be a sleep deprived new mum or a grandparent in need of a quick cuppa and a sit down or you may just be looking for a great lunch spot to catch up with friends. Either way, here’s my top picks for baby and toddler friendly coffee spots in Wells.

LOAF

By far my favourite place to hunker down for an hour, not only for its toddler-tastic play area, complete with playhouse, kitchen and slide, but also for its delicious coffee (the decaff latte is the best I’ve tasted) and fabulous range of artisan bakes. One of the few places where you can genuinely sit and enjoy a cuppa while the kids entertain themselves (which, let’s face it, as a mum is nigh-on impossible in most places!) Oh, and babychinnos are free!

COFFEE #1

This small chain coffee shop is great for kids; it’s noisy (perfect for covering up the din of fussy babies or excitable toddlers) and has colouring pencils and paper to keep little ones entertained.

THE BISHOP’S PALACE

Sit outside and soak up the views while toddlers burn off energy in the grassy areas surrounding the cafe (although be aware that the croquet lawn is out of bounds!). Lawn games, such as giant Jenga and Connect4 come out in the summer months. After your coffee, you can head into the grounds (free to members) and hunt for the dragons in the Dragon’s Lair. During school holidays you can grab a coffee at the Hungry Dragon kiosk situated within the gardens, but opening hours are sporadic so I’d recommend getting yourself a takeaway or bringing a flask from home if you’re feeling desperately in need!

CAFE TWENTYONE

Best for small groups given the limited space, this cafe located right on the market square serves delicious lunches and cakes. The staff are super friendly and massively accommodating where children are concerned. Two things to note are that there are no baby changing facilities (there are at the cathedral though, which is just around the corner) and you can’t take prams upstairs, so unless there is space downstairs, it’s babes in arms only!

PICKWICKS

I only include Pickwicks in this list as it was a lifeline for me and my NCT group in the early days of motherhood. It’s large and has spacious booths at the back that are perfect for providing privacy for breastfeeding mums and keeping fussy babies out of earshot from other customers. Good changing facilities too, and, simple lunches that are edible with one hand (which as all new mums will know, is important!) The staff aren’t necessarily the friendliest but for practical reasons alone, this is a good bet.