It was an average Tuesday morning. I was focused. I was determined. I was going to win. Racing my children through Peppermint Forest, then to Licorice Lagoon, and on to Lolipop Palace to the lost Candy Castle, I was just about to jump ahead through the Frosted Palace on a double purple draw, we heard someone shout Jenga! (I didn't actually win that round. My seven year old did. She's the undefeated Candy Land champ.)
Hawkwood Game Cafe opened its doors three years ago in downtown Milford, tucked in a row of businesses that faces Colony Grill. (Known for the most delicious hot oil pie!)
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Inspired by cafes in Canada and Europe, Hawkwood offers about 650 games, with about 30 to 50 games dedicated to kids ages 10 and under. The cost of admission is $10 per person, with $5 put toward a food or beverage credit.
CURRENT RESTRICTIONS: Reservation limit 8 people, time limit 2 hours, masks required when not at tables.
The boardgame café concept has gained popularity in recent years in places as far away as Beijing to Brooklyn. As a mom forever on a quest to get her kids away from screens and having real interactions with real people, I love, love heading to Hawkwood. And it turns out, the kids actually do want to sit down, open up a cardboard box, and argue over who gets to be the top hat piece.
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If you’re planning a visit with littles in tow, there’s plenty of tot-friendly games like Guess Who, Trouble, and Yeti In My Spaghetti. For my 10 year old, it’s all about the Pokemon.
I can’t tell you anything about Pokemon. I have really understood it and probably never will. But, I do know that 10 year old boys can and will play for hours. And Hawkwood is the place to do just that. In fact, Hawkwood has some Poke-experts that can teach your kiddos tips and techniques to level up their Poke-game.
Catan, Battleship, and Monopoly Cheaters Edition were other group favorites. (Regular Monopoly ultimately winds up with me obtaining Park Place and my children crying so we’ve taken a leave of absence for awhile.) I am a sucker for classics like Yahtzee and Clue, so teaching my children how to play my childhood favorites made this mama’s heart so happy.
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While you play, Hawkwood offers a fully stocked snack bar loaded with game-friendly goodies like freshly baked cookies, popcorn and soft pretzels.
Also, Hawkwood partners with downtown’s landmark Café Atlantique to offer lunch.
New this year, for $30 a month, households can take home any game (or two kids games) with no time limits. When they are done they can return it and immediately take out a new game(or games). All returned games go into quarantine for 72 hours. Customers can sign up for one month at a time if they wish, or sign up for larger bundles of months to get bonus time.
Boardgames. They take you to mythical lands, make you a millionaire, and give you the chance to save the world.
