Republica St Kilda Beach

St Kilda has got be one of my favourite places to go with the whole family on a sunny weekend afternoon.  It is one of those quintessential Melbourne suburbs that exude quirky and fun and you can’t help but just want to let go, switch off from the daily grind and relax.  With an abundance of grassed areas, beer gardens, the beach, playgrounds, Luna Park and the smell of the sea, an afternoon of doing not much with a bunch of active kids can fade into the night with absolute ease.

Besides the basics that make it child-friendly – good basic kids menu (with activities printed on it, value ($8 pizza’s on Monday night), change facilities in the building, pram access, a bucket of toys but what made is so great for me was the SPACE.  With heaps of seating options: courtyard seating overlooking the beach, inside dining, courtyard verandah, function room and bar area you don’t feel like your kids are imposing on other diners. According to their website, Republica is a place “for the people”.  They really do a wonderful job of making all ages feel welcome.