Meridian’s Cafe + Play blends South Korean inspiration with family community space

Cafe + Play, Meridian‘s very own South Korean-inspired coffee shop, is an imaginative space that nurtures and celebrates the beauty and chaos of raising children.

Opened in August 2025, the shop has a full-service espresso machine, fresh pastries, teas, matcha, breakfast burritos and more. Additionally, it has a play space for kids to get their wiggles and creativity out.

Sensory baby classes are also offered on site, and birthday party packages are available.

Allison Osborn, owner of Cafe + Play, calls it a blend of cozy minimalism, exceptional coffee, and a steadfast dedication to cherishing perfectly imperfect moments. This is Osborn’s first entrepreneurial adventure, and she says it was born out of her own experience of dealing with postpartum depression after becoming a mom in 2021.

“I felt the effects of anxiety and isolation that came with it,” she said. “When my firstborn was 1, we visited my family in South Korea where my sister-in-law took me to a few ‘play cafés’ … I never felt more welcomed and never felt I belonged anywhere else like I did at these play cafés. I told my husband I would eventually open up something like this in Idaho.”

She started researching how to open a business and looked closely at what a play space entails, and secured funding through ICCU. Two and a half years after dreaming of Cafe + Play, the doors were opened.

“I loved that out of my pain, my purpose was born,” Osborn shared. “I am a woman of faith and know that this is what I was called to do. I have such a passion for hospitality and to create spaces for people to feel so loved and comforted.”

Osborn said that it took a while to find the right location for the business. When she toured the current location, she knew it was perfect and could envision the coffee shop, a mother’s room, art room and birthday party space.

The space, which used to be a bird shop, needed to be remodeled. After delays and unexpected expenses that included having to pay out of pocket for a new HVAC system and electrical work, the space is working out to be just what she wanted.

“I didn’t realize that what I created has turned into a community center,” she explained. “I truly didn’t imagine it to be as big as it is. We have had such a positive response to the cafe since opening. It is exactly what I envisioned it to be for families. I’ve witnessed women making new friends with other moms who are in the same season of life. I’ve seen babies grow over the last nine months and seen babies take their first steps.”

One of the most exciting parts of Osborn’s business is its involvement in the community. Almost every week, there is a small business that does a pop-up at the cafe, with a booth that provides information for parents. So far, there have been speech therapists, the Meridian Police Department for “Coffee with a Cop,” naturopathic medical professionals, photographers, educators, lactation consultants, personal trainers and nonprofits inside the shop.

“I love that I can use my café to continue to pour into others’ lives,” she said. “We believe vibrant communities begin with supported families .. But in order to pour into our children, we need spaces where we ourselves feel connected, encouraged and seen. Cafe + Play was created to foster that sense of community by giving families a place to gather, build relationships and create memories. I’m a firm believer that when families thrive, our communities thrive, and that creates a more vibrant Idaho.”

Thinking about the future, Osborn said that she is thrilled about deepening the company’s roots. In addition to continuing to partner with local businesses, she’s considering launching a mobile coffee cart that will help bring connection and great coffee to community events across the Treasure Valley.

“In every step, it’s about creating more spaces for families to thrive and feel a sense of belonging,” she said.