Vito’s Cucina & Bar Ascot

Vito's Cucina & Bar is a small Italian cafe in the plaza at 188 Nudgee Road, Ascot, on Brisbane's northside, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables along the front. It is a proper cooked-breakfast stop rather than a takeaway window, which makes it a handy pairing with a run at the fenced dog park nearby.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you at the outdoor and footpath seating along the front of the plaza; indoors is off limits. Staff have a good reputation with dogs and will usually sort out a water bowl, though on hot Brisbane mornings bring your own to be sure. The outdoor area is small, so on weekends it can mean a wait for a table with enough room for a dog to lie down.

Worth knowing

Regulars rate the eggs benedict, corn fritters and buttermilk chicken wrap, and serving sizes run generous for the price. It opens seven days from 7am with the kitchen closing early afternoon, so it is a breakfast-and-lunch venue rather than a dinner one. This is a good pick for dogs that will settle under a table while you take your time over breakfast.

Getting there and parking

Free off-street parking sits directly in front of the plaza, and it is a short drive from the racecourse precinct and the airport side of town. The fenced Ascot Park Fenced Dog Park is close by for an off-lead run first, and Swalk Cafe on Lancaster Road is the local alternative if the outdoor tables are full. Staying near the airport with a dog, Airway Motel is minutes away.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Ascot destination page, with the full list in the QLD cafes index.