Willow Cafe

Willow Cafe is a coastal-style brunch spot at 1/216 Riding Road, on the Balmoral and Hawthorne border, and it has built its dog reputation on a combination of two outdoor zones: the front seating along Riding Road and a courtyard out the back. Table service runs to both, so the dog never has to hold a spot in a queue.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor front seating and the rear courtyard. Staff are accommodating and will bring a water bowl if you ask, though packing your own is wise on a hot Brisbane day. Keep your dog leashed and settled, because both zones are working areas with staff and prams moving through. Weekends fill early, so an early arrival or a booking helps if you specifically want an outdoor table.

Worth knowing

The menu runs from chilli scrambled eggs and avo toast to eggs benedict, mushroom ricotta and poke bowls, with mimosas for the weekend crowd. Reviewers consistently rate it among the better dog-friendly brunch spots in Brisbane's inner east, and the coffee holds its end up. Hours are 7am to 2pm daily, so it is a breakfast-and-lunch venue with a hard afternoon close.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on Riding Road with street parking along the strip and in the side streets. It is also an easy cycle or walk from the Bulimba riverside, and the 232 and 240 buses run along Riding Road.

Close by with the dogs

Balmoral Bulimba Dog Park is the closest off-lead run, and Quinns Street Park Fenced Dog Park gives you a fenced option on the same side of the suburb.

More options are on the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and the Balmoral destination page.

Pepsi: chase the water bowl with a real request. Staff will bring one over, but on a February morning the dish empties fast.