Brother Brew Cafe

Brother Brew Cafe at 763 Hawthorn Road, Brighton East is one of the few cafes where the dog setup is part of the design rather than an afterthought. The rear courtyard is weather-protected and built for owners with dogs, there is a custom doggie door on the side, and the cafe keeps a photo wall of its regular four-legged visitors. It is also a genuinely good cafe: strong coffee, an inventive brunch menu and a 4.8 rating from several hundred reviews.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcomed in the spacious rear courtyard, with dedicated hooks for leads so your dog is not tangled around a chair leg. The kitchen sends out puppyccinos and homemade dog treats, and the doggie door means the courtyard is easy to settle into on arrival. Standard etiquette applies: keep your dog on lead or securely settled next to the table, and stay mindful that the courtyard is shared. Weekend mornings are the busiest window, so weekday visits get the easiest tables.

Worth knowing

The menu runs from breakfast through to late afternoon with generous vegetarian and vegan coverage. Standouts include the Turkish eggs, the salmon shakshuka, baked eggs with chorizo and chilli scrambled eggs, and the Pollo Sanga chicken sandwich that regulars order by name. Drinks cover artisanal coffee, brewed chai, smoothies and thick shakes. Check the cafe's own site for current hours, which shift seasonally.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on Hawthorn Road in the Brighton East shopping strip, with street parking along the road and the surrounding residential streets. Weekday hours start at 7am, weekends at 8am, and Friday runs later into the evening per the cafe's published hours.

Close by with the dogs

For off-lead time either side of brunch, Brighton Beach Dog Off Leash Area puts you on the sand with the bathing boxes in view, and William Street Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is a grassy option closer to hand. Back in the suburb, Hustle Espresso Bar is the other Brighton East coffee stop worth a look.

Pepsi: my own door, my own hooks, and a puppyccino with my name on the wall. I live well.

More options are on the Victoria cafes page, with local tips in the Brighton East destination guide.