The 23 Best Pet-Friendly Cafes In Australia

Slurp up a morning brew alongside your furry companion with a pet-friendly cafe in your nearest capital city.

Coffee and contemplation – an AM prerequisite for almost every Aussie. If you’re a fur parent, devoted to sharing life’s sweetest moments with your buddy, caffeine pit stops are also a great opportunity to get your pet out of the house. Presenting the ultimate list of pet-friendly cafes to help you and your beloved unwind in comfort right around Australia.

Featuring sprawling grounds (with plenty of sniffs), pet-friendly treats (a puppaccino, perhaps?) and silky-smooth human-only brews, these must-visits are made for you and your boo.

Pet-friendly cafes in Sydney, NSW

Naked Brew

Treat your pooch to their very own ‘Doggie Menu’ at Naked Brew in Sydney’s inner west.

Home to the city’s cult doggie donut, made with unsalted peanut butter and chicken stock plus yoghurt frosting, ice cream, waffle and smoothie, each exclusively finessed for pups, it’s a pet-friendly cafe with all the bells and whistles.

cookies and doggie donut treats in jars at Naked Brew, Sydney — Spy the jar of doggie donut treats at Naked Brew.

Address: 110 Swanson Street, Erskineville, NSW

Centennial Homestead

Grab a table on Centennial Homestead’s massive deck, or a comfy couch on the lush grass, for serene views of Centennial Park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

It’s also located across the road from the park’s off-leash area, so you can get their exercise in during a single visit.

Water bowls within the pet-friendly cafe’s ‘puppy parking’ lot out front are also super convenient.

dogs eating from bowl at Centennial Homestead in Sydney, NSW — Centennial Homestead has puppy parking out front.

Address: 1 Grand Drive, Centennial Park, NSW

Lost and Found

Sucker for high tea? Give your pampered pal the ultimate day out at Lost and Found. The team put on a ‘Doggy High Tea’, priced at $45 per pet, every Sunday when you order their human version.

While yours includes typical tiny sandwiches and pastries, theirs arrives in equally extravagant fashion, decked out with pet-friendly garnishes and whipped with safe ingredients to satisfy delicate bellies.

two dogs enjoying the doggy high tea at Lost and Found cafe, North Sydney — Bring your pup to elevate your high tea experience.

Address: 223 Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW

Pet-friendly cafes in Melbourne, Vic

Bellboy Cafe

Munch on New York-inspired bagels while your furry friend laps up puppaccinos and dehydrated treats at Bellboy Cafe.

Melbourne’s top inner-city pet-friendly cafe is fitted with floor-to-ceiling glass so it’s plenty light and airy inside, but while you’re seated outside with your pal, you’re in good proximity to the Instagram-friendly dog kennel to help make memories of your visit.

brunch dishes on the table at Bellboy Cafe in Melbourne, Vic — Enjoy brunch all day at Bellboy Cafe.

Address: 131 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East, Vic

Fourth Chapter

Treat your bestie to peanut butter on toast or freshly baked doggie biscuits at Fourth Chapter on High Street (recently named the coolest street in the world) in trendy Prahran.

An awesome human menu spans healthy breakfast and lunch bowls, American-style comfort food and generously prepared cafe classics including the big brekkie, smashed avo and bacon and egg roll. Keep your pet on a leash and grab a seat on the sidewalk or in the cosy courtyard.

burger and fries at Fourth Chapter cafe, Prahran — Dine on generous serves.

Address: 385 High Street, Prahran, Vic

Pet-friendly cafes in Brisbane, Qld

Snag & Brown

Venture south about 15 minutes on road from Brisbane’s CBD to take advantage of Snag & Brown’s very own, albeit small, dog park.

The pet-friendly cafe dishes up puppaccinos in wide, low-rise bowls (a genius move for doggos) and invites off-leash frolicking within the park, so it’s a perfect morning out for your furry friend. We humans can choose from a menu of all-day breakfast classics and sweet treats.

a pup on leash sitting on the floor at Snag & Brown, Brisbane — Pups are welcome to explore the doggie park off-leash.

Address: 97 Ekibin Road, Annerley, Qld

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

St Coco Cafe

St Coco Cafe’s contemporary fit out, complete with a pet-friendly al fresco space dotted with picnic tables and retro-print umbrellas, unleashes a very chilled morning out in suburban Brissie.

Plus, your fur baby’s forever-rumbling belly is (momentarily) sorted as doggie ice cream and puppaccinos beg to be indulged in.

a dog poses in front of St Coco Cafe — St Coco Cafe is a place for pet lovers.

Address: Shop 8B 3-5 Cupania Street, Daisy Hill, Qld

Little Black Pug Cafe

Soak up the city’s year-round sunshine with an outdoor table at Little Black Pug Cafe in the southern suburbs of Brisbane.

The pet-friendly cafe loads up smashing sweet and savoury favourites as well as doggie meatballs made with grain-free beef and vegetables, plus a ‘Puggy-cino’ in honour of the team’s adorable namesake muse, Bowie.

a plate of pancakes with sliced fruits at Little Black Pug Cafe — Pancakes are always a good idea. (Image: Shaelah Ariotti)

Address: 6/1297 Logan Road, Mount Gravatt, Qld

Pet-friendly cafes in Canberra, ACT

Stella’s by the Lake

Wouldn’t it be nice to sink beers with your best bud? Stella’s by the Lake, located in suburban Canberra right next to Lake Ginninderra and close to one of the best skateboard-friendly walks in the city, is answering prayers.

Offering a healthy ‘Dog Beer’ made with turmeric and beef marrow leg bones, the pet-friendly cafe doesn’t stop there. Peanut-buttered bones, puppaccinos and donuts are also ready to be devoured in style.

an old lady petting a dog outside Stellas by the Lake cafe in Canberra — Spot adorable pets when you dine here.

Address: 1 Beissel Street, Belconnen, ACT

Two Before Ten

Keep your pal toasty when the mercury drops at Two Before Ten, located right next to a great dog-friendly walk in Aranda (so you can squeeze in their daily walk).

Dog blankets, created from old coffee sacks, water bowls and a bunch of pet-friendly seating options make it a comfortable pitstop for pooches. For humans, the cafe’s paddock-to-plate food philosophy ensures effortless nourishment.

pouring honey over a dish at Two Before Ten cafe — Indulge in exquisite delights at Two Before Ten. (Image: Pew Pew Studio)

Address: 68 Bandjalong Crescent, Aranda, ACT

Local Press Cafe

Stroll the Kingston Foreshore to find Local Press Cafe, a pet-friendly destination with serious views. Puppaccinos are on the menu and water bowls are filled high as a delicious menu packed with seasonal produce and excellent coffee satisfies two-legged patrons.

Address: Corner Eastlake Parade and Giles Street, Kingston Foreshore, ACT

Pet-friendly cafes in Adelaide, SA

Fare and Square

Let your little bud peruse Fare and Square’s incredible ‘Furnu’ – a menu for fur babies. The popular Adelaide cafe’s clever pet-friendly offering includes a ‘Furchino’ sprinkled with carob, poached eggs on brown rice, the ‘Beethoven Bolognese’ of beef mince, veg and pasta, a ‘Scooby-Doo Stew’ of chicken tenderloins, veg and brown rice, and ‘Goofy Snacks’ which are 50-gram portions of dehydrated chicken. Delish.

Address: 6/8 Wellington Square, North Adelaide, SA

Peter Rabbit Cafe

Featuring a colourful garden area for pets to flex their mightiest sniffs, Peter Rabbit Cafe on the west end of Hindley Street is a pet-friendly winner.

Let them people and puppy watch as you seize the always-atmospheric venue’s menu of breakfast and lunch classics plus creative, globally inspired dishes.

friends dining in tables under huge yellow umbrellas at Peter Rabbit Cafe — Nab a table in the serene garden area.

Address: 234-244 Hindley Street, Adelaide, SA

The Banksia Tree Cafe

Explore the charms of Port Adelaide before dropping into a well-deserved break at The Banksia Tree Cafe. The pet-friendly spot offers a fur-friendly menu of peanut butter-rimmed puppaccinos and treats, including rocky road and ice cream cones. Choose a spot on the patio where dogs are always welcome.

Address: 147 St. Vincent Street, Port Adelaide, SA

Pet-friendly cafes in Perth, WA

Two Dogs Laughing, WA

It’s a fact – puppaccinos taste better when they’re free of charge. It’s why Two Dogs Laughing, a suburban pet-friendly cafe in Perth‘s Fremantle, is a smash hit with fur parents.

a woman with her dog at standing at the entrance door of Two Dogs Laughing cafe — Two Dogs Laughing is a hit with fur parents.

An interior mural, featuring a guitar-strumming pooch sporting a sombrero, cements this spot’s canine-friendly status. Furry buds are welcome to sprawl out under the legs of al fresco tables and chairs as an all-day menu of breakfast done with a twist – think scrambled eggs with sambal and poached eggs with kimchi – roll out of the kitchen.

dogs welcome people tolerated illustration at Two Dogs Laughing cafe — Doggos are more than welcome at this suburban pet-friendly cafe in Fremantle.

Address: 199 South Street, Beaconsfield, WA

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Peninsula Farm Cafe

Craving space? Let your pal soak up the enormous grounds and soothing views at Peninsula Farm Cafe on the banks of the Swan River. It’s a stunning spot, set within a National Trust venue so expect manicured sights from every angle.

You’ll keep your fur babe happy in the outdoor area where healthy dog treats flow and families linger longer thanks to an onsite cubby house.

two dogs sitting on the grounds of Peninsula Farm Cafe — Keep your fur babe happy in the outdoor area.

Address: 2C Johnson Road, Marylands, WA

The Orange Box

Life’s a beach every day at The Orange Box on beautiful Leighton Beach, and pets are always welcome.

Whether you’re snuggling your little mate in one of the venue’s hammocks or beach chairs or letting them stretch their legs on the oval next door, it’s a sensational pitstop in one of the city’s prettiest locales.

a dog posing for a picture at The Orange Box cafe in North Fremantle — The Orange Box is a pet-friendly pitstop for pups.

Address: 14 Leighton Beach Boulevard, North Fremantle, WA

Pet-friendly cafes in Hobart, Tas

Room for a Pony

It’s a cafe but make sure you visit in the afternoon as pet-friendly sunset sessions at Room for a Pony in Hobart are always epic. Your furry pal will lap up the outdoor area, often littered with four-legged friends, as you indulge in the venue’s menu of creative dishes including a bacon, cheese and kimchi butty and a Chinese fried chilli omelette. When it’s wine o’clock, their selection never disappoints.

Address: 338 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, Tas

Sisterhood

Home to an undercover, outdoor dog area with heaters, Sisterhood in Sandy Bay, right next to touristy Battery Point, is fabulous.

Before you leave, check out the main section’s Instagram-perfection fit out and don’t miss the pet-friendly cafe’s incredible coffee art atop every style of steamed brew. Puppaccinos and doggy treats fly around the joint on high rotation.

two dogs licking out of a cup at Sisterhood Cafe — Treat your fur babies to a date at Sisterhood.

Address: 4/48 King Street, Sandy Bay, Tas

Giddy Up Food Store

Go for the human-style bottomless brunch, stay for the pet-friendly fun. Giddy Up Food Store in Sandy Bay is a popular brunch spot that also welcomes four-legged friends. The courtyard offers your pal good space to stretch their legs as a rotating door of local canines frequent this hot spot daily.

Address: 50 Princes Street, Sandy Bay, Tas

Pet-friendly cafes in Darwin, NT

Laneway Coffee

Indulge in Darwin’s thriving cafe culture as your furry friend remains right by your side at Laneway Coffee in Parap. The pet-friendly cafe is abuzz with crowds who can’t get enough of the menu’s wide range of healthy bowls, breakfast hits and burgers.

As for your little mate? There are often doggy donuts in stock and puppaccinos are an every-visit must.

handing out a doggie donut to a pup at Laneway Coffee, Darwin, NT — Give your pup a doggie donut.

Address: 4/1 Vickers Street, Parap, NT

The Boatshed Coffee House

Keep your pet on a leash during your visit to the Boatshed Coffee House in Cullen Bay. Overlooking the sparkling water, choose from the menu’s breakfast and lunch dishes, spanning tacos, toasties, wraps, fresh salads, traditional crepes and more.

It’s a sun-drenched spot, with good coffee, for a relaxed morning together before letting them run like crazy at the nearby Kahlin Oval.

Address: 54-56 Marina Boulevard, Cullen Bay, NT

Ray’s Cafe & Patisserie

Nestled within busy Smith Street, Ray’s Cafe & Patisserie is an understated spot with an outstanding menu and some of the best coffee in town.

Your pet is welcome to sit by your side in the surprisingly large courtyard as you pick your poison from a range of quality pastries and larger breakfast and lunch dishes.

a dessert plate at Ray’s Cafe & Patisserie, Darwin City — Pair your coffee with French toast.

Address: 66 Smith Street, Darwin City, NT

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.