Hungry Squirrel Cafe

Hungry Squirrel is a small owner-run cafe on Reynolds Street in a quieter pocket of Balmain, a short walk back from the Darling Street strip. It trades from early morning to mid afternoon on weekdays with shorter weekend mornings, and it has built a 4.9-rated following on the strength of its house-baked cookies, quiches and sandwiches rather than location. Dogs are part of the routine here: the owner and staff are known for greeting pups, and it suits a mid-walk coffee stop more than a long brunch sit.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the cafe, with the outdoor tables the reliable option on a busy morning and the small indoor space at the team's discretion; ask at the counter. The street is residential and calm, so waiting outside with a lead is easy. Bring a water bowl to be safe, though regulars report the staff are quick to fetch one.

Max: A red velvet cookie for the human, a pat from the owner for me. Everyone leaves this counter winning.

Worth knowing

The cookies are the headline: red velvet and triple chocolate batches baked in house, with quiche and fresh gourmet sandwiches covering the savoury side. Coffee pours Adore Coffee Roasters' Mastro blend, and the menu extends to big breakfast plates and lunch dishes such as pasta Bolognese, with online ordering through the website if you want to skip the wait. Street parking sits on the surrounding residential streets, but this is a walk-in neighbourhood stop.

Make a day of it

Balmain's leash-free harbour parks are the natural pairing, with Elkington and Ewenton parks both running designated off-leash areas per Inner West Council. For another dog-friendly coffee nearby, little Ethel's and cafe d'Yvoire on Darling Street both do outdoor seating, and The Old Rosebud is up the road in Rozelle. A bigger off-leash run is available at Federal Park Dog Park (Annandale) over the peninsula. More are listed under dog friendly cafes in NSW and the Balmain guide.