Here on Salt Spring we love our kids.  Not just our own kids, but everybody's kids.   If a child falls in the park, several grownups will come to his/her aid...not just the parents.  So is it any wonder that our stores and business have, in general, a very kid-friendly atmosphere?

 

Salt Spring Coffee (aka Roasters which is how I refer to it) is absolutely no different.  I've lived on Salt Spring for almost 5 and a half years now, and Roasters has always had a little kids table with books and toys--thus letting the parents enjoy their coffee and sweets in, relative, peace.  Then there are the kid drinks.  All the kid drinks are $2.  That's it, $2.  The best one by far is the hot chocolate.  This isn't like the powdered stuff from the can, or even Hershey's syrup, it's really good, creamy, chocolatety hot chocolate.  The picture at the left says a lot, but doesn't tell the whole story by far.

 

First, there is a high stool where the baristas are so the kids can watch their cocoa being made.  Then it's topped with chocolate whipped cream,--real whipped cream--rainbow sprinkles, and best of all a gummi worm.

 

My son was offered the chance to put his gummi worm on his cocoa himself, but he ate it.  So the barista put another on top.  That's cool.  This still isn't the best part.  The best part is that the cocoa is served at kid drinkable temperature.  My kids--ages 3 and 7 and a half--could start sipping right away.  No burned tongues, lips, or mouths.  I mentioned this to Mickey McLeod this morning while getting the second tour of the roasting facility.  He said, "Well, we have a daughter..."  Exactly.  Parents neither want to see their kids getting scalded, nor is it fun having to say, no wait you can't drink that yet.

 

So the next time you're visiting Salt Spring Island, swing down McPhillips Ave and stop into Roasters for a cup--I'm now getting addicted to the Canadiano myself--and yes, grownups can get the cocoa too even with the gummi worm.

 

Technorati tags: Salt Spring Coffee, kids, hot chocolate