MAD BENJI

Mad Benji is a modern brunch cafe in Parkhill Plaza, Berwick, known for good coffee and a large vegan menu. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, and the flat, paved plaza setting makes it an easy stop with a dog in tow, whatever their age or joints.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you in the outdoor seating, which runs along the footpath and plaza side rather than inside the main dining area. Keep your dog on lead and settled on the outside of the tables. Staff are used to customers bringing dogs along, so it is a relaxed spot to pull up a chair; the plaza side also means more room than a tight footpath strip.

The vibe and the menu

The draw here is the vegan range, considered some of the better plant-based food in the area, sitting alongside burgers, poke bowls, shakes, smoothies, french toast and loaded fries. Coffee gets consistent praise and the service is friendly. It runs long hours, opening from 7am and trading into the evening most days. It is a popular brunch spot, so expect it busy mid-morning on weekends.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits inside Parkhill Plaza off Gwendoline Drive, with plenty of free parking in the large on-site car park and flat, easy access from the car park to the outdoor seating. Wilson Botanic Park is a short drive for an on-lead walk through the gardens and around the lakes, and the off-lead options at Akoonah Park and Ryelands Drive Reserve cover the run-around. If you are cafe-hopping, Gather: Food, Coffee & Co is another Berwick stop.

More dog-friendly venues around the suburb are on the Berwick destination page, with the state list in the VIC cafes index.