5 Family-Friendly Board Game Cafés in the Metro

Photo from @laruanph/Instagram

Looking for a chill place to hang out with the family? Head to the nearest board game café! Playing board games is a great way to spend unhurried and uninterrupted time together. It is excellent for the cognitive development of young kids, and it teaches them life and social skills, from taking turns to being graceful losers.

We’ve rounded up five family-friendly cafés where you can have fun and eat good food at the same time. Hopefully, spending time in one will get your kids to part with their gadgets and continue the board game tradition at home. 

1 Puzzles: Board Game Lounge

Board games include: Fun Farm, Wood Man, Hedbanz, Monopoly
Location: 28th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Taguig
Fee: P100/player for unlimited play; non-consumable

Aside from the whole wall of shelves of board games, one of Puzzles' plus points is its friendly staff, who are always at hand to teach you how to play your chosen games. We especially love the grass gaming area where you can play on low tables and comfy bean bags.


2 Laruan Atbp.

Board games include: Tumblin’ Monkeys, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Sqworm, Crocodile Dentist
Location: 107 Maginhawa St., Teachers Village, Quezon City
Fee: P150/player for unlimited play; consumable

Laruan Atbp. opens its arms to players of all ages. Kids will feel right at home with Laruan's selection of board games and toys. Fun finger food like thick-cut fries, cheese sticks and chicken wings are also on the menu. Kevin Billy Ching, co-owner of Laruan, personally recommends the Milk and Cookies. 

3 Mrs. Graham’s Macaron Café 

Board games include: Crazy Gorilla, Stacking Cookies, Tumblin’ Monkeys
Location: 51 Scout Rallos St., Tomas Morato, Quezon City

Not into intense gaming? Check out this charming little café in Tomas Morato. Mrs. Graham’s Maracon Café specializes in macarons with unique flavors like Peanut-butter and Jelly, Pancake with Maple Buttercream and Cookie Dough. Make it a proper tea party with board games and dainty cups of tea on the side. 


4 Snacks & Ladders

Board games include: Beat the Parents, Cranium, Apples to Apples, Don’t Take Buster’s Bones, Chairs
Location: 188 Maginhawa Street, Quezon City
Fee: P150/player for unlimited play; partly consumable

With 300 board games on  the Snacks & Ladders shelves, be ready to spend an hour or two (or three) trying out a fair few. They have a wide selection of family-friendly games, ranging from the classics like Jenga to quirky ones like Gooey Louie. The best seats in the house are in the bean bag area. Then, after a couple of rounds of gaming, stretch those legs by heading to their foosball table and giant chessboard. 


5 Gerry’s Jeepney 

Board games include: traditional Filipino games
Location: 7 Maginhawa Street, Quezon City

Gerry’s Jeepney is an all-out Pinoy place. Have your dinner served on a banana leaf and eat your meal ng nakakamay inside an actual jeepney. For entertainment, teach the kids Pinoy games by grabbing a sungka set and a deck of cards. After the meal, stop by the sari-sari store, the dirty ice cream cart and the bibingka stall for even more treats.