Simplicity cafe

Simplicity Cafe is a small, locally focused coffee and gelato spot on Forest Road in Arncliffe, roasting its own boomerang blend out of Marrickville and keeping the neighborhood fed with pastries and light lunches. Dogs are welcome at the footpath tables out front, and it opens early, 6am on weekdays, which suits the before-work crowd.

The dog setup

Dogs are permitted in the outdoor footpath seating only; indoor seating is off-limits under NSW Food Authority rules on animals in food premises. Water bowls are sometimes put out for passing dogs, but it is worth carrying your own. Fair warning from the regulars: Forest Road is a busy thoroughfare and the tables sit close to passing traffic, so this one suits dogs that are settled around noise rather than startle-prone pups.

The vibe

The coffee is the headline: the house boomerang blend plus rotating single-origin pours, with a solid range of gelato and daily pastries alongside. The menu covers bigger appetites too, with a haloumi stack, protein bowls and vegan options getting the mentions. Hours run 6am to 3pm weekdays (to 6pm Friday), 7am to 6pm Saturday and 7am to 3pm Sunday. A weekday mid-morning run, before the lunch rush, is the easiest time to get a table with a dog.

Max: A single-origin pour, gelato for the walk home, and every dog on Forest Road stopping to say hello.

Getting there

The cafe is at Shop 1, 233 Forest Road, within walking distance of Arncliffe Station. Street parking on Forest Road fills fast, so try the quieter residential streets nearby if the frontage is full.

Close by with the dogs

Gardiner Park is about 300 metres away for a stretch after coffee, and for a proper outing the Tempe Dog Park and the Wolli Creek Walking Track are a short drive north, with the Kyeemagh Off Leash Dog Area to the east. Pantori Cafe is the suburb's other dog-friendly cafe. More dog friendly cafes in NSW and the Arncliffe guide are on site.