As parents of two young children, my husband and I often look for places where the kids can entertain themselves for at least seven minutes, while the two of us talk about adult stuff, such as “Why do we find that meme of a dog eating porridge so funny?”

One of our favourite spots in Zagreb is cafe Trocadero. We discovered it by chance but soon realised it was very popular with local families. For a reason. It fits all the requirements a tired parent might have: it’s a cafe bar with friendly and patient waiters next to a big playground in a closed-off backyard.

Besides coffee, beer, wine and soft drinks, they serve ice cream in summer. Bribe your children and have a beer while calmly watching the ice cream drip on the kids’ (and your) shoes. There are lots of parents around whose kids are (almost) as dirty as yours. Smile empathically and nod at each other in recognition. Proceed to have some more beer while your children fight in the far corner of the playground. Go home with a smile on your face and come back to Trocadero next morning for a coffee.

You could literally spend a whole day in Trocadero and I’m sure quite a few people do. We’ll definitely join them this summer – hope to see you there! 🙂