Popular soft play cafe reopens with delicious pastries and cakes
A key part of my parenting tool kit is a decent coffee, sometimes that extends to a croissant. One of my kids' favourite things to do is soft plays, and normally those are mutually exclusive.
So I'm a little loathed to tell you about the place where you can get proper coffee served in custom-made ceramic cups, artisan bakes, and your kids can play not only in a role play area, but a soft play and a huge wooden castle too.
Play café Tyfu - the Welsh word for grow - is the former Play Loft on Merthyr Road, which closed in 2020, it's been reinvented for the next generation. It's the brain child of local mum Carys Daniels and husband Lloyd. Designed for kids up to eight, it's fully bilingual.
The coffee is from Crafty Smuggler, Beth's Bakes provide the brownies and blondies, while the focaccia, sourdough and pastries delivered fresh daily from Angel bakery in Abergavenny. They all come served on ceramics handmade by Matt Jones ceramics in Blackwood. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here .
As well as the cakes and bakes, food options include chorizo and mozarella focaccia, or a proscuitto option.
(Image: Maria Dania)
Carys explains: "As parents ourselves, we understand how important it is to have spaces where children can explore and play freely yet safely. Tyfu was born from our desire to create somewhere that works for the whole family – a place where children can grow through play and imagination, and where parents and guardians can connect in a relaxed environment, with good coffee and food.
'We were thrilled when we were able to secure the site of the former Playloft for Tyfu – a business which was much loved by the north Cardiff parenting community, but which sadly closed in 2020. We hope that families will love what we've done with the space, and we can't wait to meet our new customers'.
When we went on a Friday morning, it was heaving so we ended up sharing tables with other people - although we were soon beckoned away from our coffee to play anyway.
(Image: Tyfu/Carys Daniels)
The equipment is spread over two floors. After you enter at the ground floor, the coffee shop and role play area are on the first floor. The second floor has more tables and chairs by big people with a soft play area and castle for climbing with a slide that my youngest went flying down again (and again, and again).
There are gates within each floor so your small people don't escape without supervision, and plenty of staff on hand to help with tidying, coffee and handing over those precious cakes.
(Image: Maria Dania)
The inside is beautifully decorated with light woods, pastel colours and Melin Tregwynt fabrics, with plenty of helpful touches when you're with kids. There's a spacious downstairs toilet with baby change space and toilet booster seats and locks on the doors between levels so you can (try) keep them penned in for the length of a flat white.
The role play area was the favourite of our visit, with a shop, disco, kitchen, fire engine, beauty parlour, and because it's new (although I have every faith they will stay on top of replacements) everything was top quality.
While it says it's suitable for up to kids up to age eight, I think older kids might get bored - or fleece you for a cake - earlier than the younger ones who the stuff is more geared up for.
Tyfu is located at 42a Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 1DJ (entry is via a side door which is located on Bishops Road). It is open Tuesday through to Saturday. Entry prices are £5.95 for kids aged between six months and two, children aged two to eight are £8.95. Weekend prices are £1 more for both.
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