I heard about At Play Cafe in Reston, Virginia, from my neighbor. Her exact words were "Oh, it's a wonderful place!" So on one rainy Saturday, we decided to give At Play Cafe a try. 

The little cafe is located in a shopping center in Reston, Virginia. They do offer muffins, sandwiches and cappuccino among other food and refreshments that parents can enjoy while their kids are playing in a supervised play area. I didn't buy any food when we were there, but their cappuccino served in an extra large mug smelled delicious.

The play area is small, but the kids managed to play just fine. They climbed up to a "firehouse" to go down a slide (and that's one fast slide! My daughter loved it). They have rocking horses and other toys right by the slide. Right below the firehouse, there's a workshop with toy tools.

To the left of the workshop area is a kitchen complete with a refrigerator, stove and a counter with a play cash register and a cappuccino maker so the kids can make their own mocha.

There's also a small stage area next to the kitchen, complete with puppets. They also have cute, comfortable seats that are just the right size for kids.

There's a staff supervising the kids in the play area, especially when the kids were climbing up to the firehouse. So you can choose to enjoy your refreshments in the cafe while your kids are going up and down the firehouse, or join in on the fun with them.

In the addition to the supervised play area, they also have a small gym studio with mats for kids to run around in. Parents are to supervise kids in the gym studio. When we were there, they were holding a free art class for the kids in the gym studio. 

At Play Cafe is a fun place for the kids to play and a good way for parents to relax and enjoy themselves. Just don't expect a quiet cafe, as the cafe is located in between the gym studio and the play area. However, it's still a nice way for parents to take a break. The best part is, the play area is always an open area during their business hours, so you don't have to plan ahead!

AT A GLANCE

Location
2254B Hunters Woods Plaza
Reston, VA 20191

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Operating hours
The play area and cafe are open from 9:30 am to 7 pm from Monday to Saturday, and from 12 pm to 3 pm on Sunday.

Fees
Play area: $8 per day or get a season pass for $120 for 3 months.

Special events
They use the gym studio for themed birthday parties with fees starting at $200 for ten kids. They also offer classes for kids from six months to six years, and kids registered in their classes can play in the play area for free before and after the class.

Food and facilities
They serve breakfast, lunch, snacks and refreshments at their cafe. Parents can enjoy some cappuccino while their kids are having fun playing in the staff-supervised, indoor play area.

Contact information
Phone: 703-391-6131
Website: http://www.atplaycafe.com