YMCA opens café and soft play in Norwich
A brand-new café and soft play area is set to open in Norwich on May 28 run by YMCA Norfolk in its new community hub on Aylsham Road near the city centre. Harriet King from YMCA Norfolk describes what’s on offer.
Just a five-minute drive from the city centre, Williams’ Kitchen Café and Explorers Soft Play also has a nursery on site – so that the little ones can learn and play while you enjoy a bite to eat with a friend.
Featuring a modern, spacious indoor café, we also offer outdoor seating so that you can enjoy the fresh air with your coffee.
You’ll find something for everyone on our tasty yet affordable menu – which not only includes breakfast, lunch and a children’s menu, but also a range of delicious gluten-free and vegan options. If it’s just a coffee and cake you fancy, we have a superb range of fresh traybakes and top-quality coffee available throughout the day.
Our Story
Our café is named after the amazing George Williams; founder of YMCA, which is the oldest and largest youth charity in the world. Today, YMCA has grown to serve more than 65 million people in 120 countries – we are extremely proud to be a part of our amazing heritage. In its honour we wanted to create a café that not only served the local Norwich community with tasty food and delicious hot drinks, but also wanted to create a space where both adults and children could have a fantastic day out.
What’s on offer
Sessions at our soft play start every two hours from 10am, 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm. Tickets are available to purchase at Williams’ Kitchen counter; entry is £4 for over 4s, £3 for under 4s and £1 for under 1s (or free with an older paying sibling).
We also offer kids’ party packages which includes a two-hour party, use of the soft play, party bags, cold finger buffet, and unlimited water and squash. All for just £9 per child (or £7 week days and term time) - we just ask that you bring a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 15.
Our party times are 12pm, 2pm and 4pm during weekends and school holidays.
Our cold finger buffet includes a selection of sandwiches, salad sticks, fruit, crisps, sausages/ sausage rolls and ice cream. Meanwhile, for just an extra £2.75 per child, you can upgrade to a hot buffet which includes fish fingers, chicken goujons, veg nuggets, pizza slices, chips, salad sticks, sausages/sausage roll and ice cream – so that your little ones are guaranteed to go home with a full belly!
Meanwhile parents can chill out next door in Williams’ Kitchen – where they can watch their kids explore and play while they enjoy a meal from our great selection of hot and cold food – from café classics such as fish and chips, mac and cheese and veggie chilli, to smaller bites such as jacket potatoes and ciabatta paninis.
We also have a Costa Coffee on site – which is half price before 10.30am, so if you need a pick-me-up while dropping the children at nursery, you can grab a take-away cappuccino using Costa’s signature coffee blend, or meet a friend for a catch-up in our brand new café booths or sofa snug corners (or enjoy the fresh air and sunshine on our picnic benches).
When are we open?
Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm
Saturday 10am – 6pm
Sunday 10am – 4pm
We take the safety of our customers and staff extremely seriously, and with social distancing, PPE, hand sanitiser stations and daily cleaning, you can guarantee feeling safe at both the café and soft play.
Find out more
www.williamskitchen.org/menu
www.williamskitchen.org/explorers-soft-play