A café that looks out onto the A40 and regularly hosts biker meets might not sound like the most child-friendly destination. But Kingsley Café in Eynsham offers a golden bullet that most cafés don’t: it’s open late, and when you’ve got a teething baby or a toddler in full meltdown mode, that’s absolute gold.
We visited on Easter Sunday, and it was busy, buzzing and had loads going on. There was live music, a racing simulator, and a steady flow of people, from a 70th birthday party, to a car meet up by Limitless, to families in wellies. There is enough space for all of these to happen and still drink a cup of tea in peace (relatively, given that I was eating with a baby). The crowd was diverse, the welcome warm, and the vibe much more relaxed and accommodating than the café’s roadside setting might suggest.
What sets Kingsley apart isn’t a soft play area or Instagram-worthy interiors—it’s practicality. They’re open until 6pm on Monday – Wednesday, 9pm on Thursdays and 10pm on Fridays, making them one of the very few local places that are open and happy to accommodate children, beyond the McDonald’s drive thru.
What’s more, the staff are happy to see you and I was instantly put at ease – they were happy for us to shift tables so that my car loving boy could look out of the windows, sweep up after our child, and generally make ourselves at home. Service was quick, which is exactly what you want when entertaining a child who doesn’t do waiting. It’s worth noting that it’s not a massive children’CX menu, but if you’re heading here, you’re probably not looking for a ten-page brunch selection.
Having visited here before, when going through the newborn phase, I knew that the portions were on the large size, but the food is really well done. Think comfort but elevated. Food such as the fish finger sandwich is a far cry from Captain Bird’s Eye and an airfryer – in fact I think it is much better than my local fish and chip shop. I’ve taken my mother in law here, used it as a temporary office, and just sat here when the crying got a bit too much. It works for many occasions.
The kids’ menu is £8.50, which at first glance seems a little steep, until the food arrives and you realise it’s basically an adult-sized portion. We ordered the sausages and chips, and while the chips were a touch too salty for little ones, the sausages were a highlight – meaty, well-cooked, and far better than the disappointing, grey offerings often found on children’s menus. Peas were included, which my little one promptly dropped on the floor whilst trying to find his mouth.
There’s not a huge variety of options for children with only 4 meals available, but what’s there is decent, hearty, and made to satisfy. I also ordered a chai latte, which was warming and gently spiced, again it was on the large side, solid, warm and good. On Sundays, they serve roast dinners, a new addition to the menu since I have last been and their breakfasts are a highlight, using ingredients like Cracklebean eggs, which hints at their use of good-quality produce even in the most casual of dishes.
Kingsley Café doesn’t look like a typical family spot, with big windows facing onto the A40, and more motorbike helmets than soft toys. There’s no curated kids’ corner or eco-Scandi play kitchen, but there is a space where you won’t be judged for the noise your toddler makes, where staff smile when you ask for napkins (again), and where the whole experience feels genuinely welcoming.
It is somewhere that is becoming busier and busier, with live music almost every weekend, events such as the light up tractor at Xmas, and meet-ups for those into their four or two wheels. It is somewhere where everyone is welcome, even toddlers and babies.
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