Perk & Play

A fantastic place to go if you want you child (ren) to play with broken dirty toys and/​or to be treated like garbage by a rude barista. Never, ever again.

Great idea! Stopped in here before a pedicure next door and loved. Like that they try and do organic and local ingredients.

Freaking ingenious. Every place should be like this. Have stuff (coffee, food, knife sets, whatever) with toys off to the side. Coffee and pastries were ok, but really who cares when you can let your kid play freely while you READ or RELAX. Sure there are the usual sharing issues, but a small price, I tell ya. Only downside is that this isn’t a full service restaurant that serves booze.
I heart this place.

We LOVE P&P. My daughter starts asking me first thing in the morning, «Mommy do we get to go to the coffee shop today?» Mind you, this child is 2 and we don’t go all that often, so it really sticks in HER mind as a cool place to hang out.
As do hundreds of other toddlers every day. This place is always swinging and is a great place to bring the kiddos. They keep their toys clean and updated, which is a challenge in and of itself when the toys are taking a beating everyday. My only complaint is that parents come for «playdates» and end up visiting with other adults and not watching their kids closely enough. And not making their kids clean up when it’s time to go home. Seriously, would you go to a friend’s house for a playdate and not have your kid clean up their mess?
Thumbs up for the delicious vanilla lattes, strawberries & cream (which my daughter calls her «pink coffee), and the crepes. We love the Breakfast Bowl — sooo yummy.

We hit Perk and Play yesterday morning. Depending on which 15-​minute block you visited, it was either crammed full of people or blessedly quiet. I like the concept behind the shop quite a bit, but I think that perhaps visiting on a Saturday morning might have been a bit too much for me. The older kids had trouble sharing with the littler ones, and some parents were not as engaged in keeping an eye on their kids as others. The barista kind of rubbed me the wrong way, too, but hell, you have to have the patience of Job to work in an environment such as that one, so I’ll cut her some slack.
The coffee was decent and they have some cool gifts available for purchase if you’re looking for a safe toy to buy. Oh, and we did get free drink coupons for assisting in the clean up after the whirlwind of people had left. Another nice touch is that their large drinks automatically come with four shots — yay for caffeine!

I thought that my own living room was the only place I could get caffeinated while my Little One crawls around on the floor and plays with toys? Nope… not anymore. Perk & Play has been open in the Stapleton area for six months now, and their coffee is a whole lot better than the swill I make at home.
Just kidding… my homebrew isn’t exactly swill. But then again, I don’t make Chai Lattes either.
Perk & Play is a mama’s and kiddo’s dream come true! Good coffee, plus tons of food options ranging from pudding and string cheese for the wee bairn all the way up to snazzy crepes for the ‘rents. They offer comfy couches and little café tables, as well as plenty of floor space and piles upon piles of toys. It’s perfect for crawlers, toddlers, and walkers alike. I spent about an hour and a half there this morning, and only saw ONE kid erupt into a «HE TOOK MY TOYYYYY!» fit. It was quickly quelled by the moms in charge, though (and honestly, neither kid should’ve been playing with the item in question to begin with). Little paper cocktail umbrella? Oh no honey, you’ll put your eye out!
And speaking of putting one’s eye out… the management might want to re-​think the nifty little plastic spear-​plug-​thingies they use to plug up the sippin’-hole in all the to-​go cup lids. I guess their purpose is to prevent your bev from spilling in your car as you haul ass through the Stapleton Neighborhoods at Mach 3, but in a room full of toddlers, some are inevitably going to end up on the ground and they are A) choking hazards, and B) really pointy on one end. Nobody wants a one-​eyed toddler… so yeah, you might want to ditch those things.
Everything else though, gets a thumbs-​up! Perk & Play is a great way to get out of the house, kick back, enjoy some yummy Allegro Coffee, and chill while your Little Guy (or Girl) works on his (or her) socialization skills. Think of it as a dog park for kids!
Oh wait… they have those. They’re just called «parks.» But this one is INDOORS (perfect, since those winter months are fast approaching), and will allow mom (or dad) to catch that oh-​so-​sweet caffeine buzz in the process. Now THAT’s what I call good parenting!

South End’s second coffee shop and our favorite (the other is nearby and pretty good, Southenders). Perk & Play’s bakery selection is fine if a little limited — too bad they won’t warm up the choco croissants like Southenders — but the espresso drinks are excellent. They make awesome crepes. I’ve only had the Nutella crepes but they have a long list of traditional & lunch crepes and several fun ones specifically for kids (PNB). Cool architectural and decorative details and a friendly, welcoming ambience. But where P&P shines is in it’s child-​friendly amenties. Lots of creative toys and games for kids to play with while the adults can take a much-​needed breather in the comfortable chairs or around the 4-​tops. You know, because Stapleton’s many parks, 3 pools and all the running/​biking trails can tire mom and dad out. Highly recommended!
Note — parking and entry for Perk & Play is on the opposite side of the building from Central Park Blvd — there’s no signage at all. If driving, look for the «Remax» building on the west side of CPB. It’s too bad as Perk & Play is invisible from the major street next to it and deserves a growing following!