Brighton Soul

Brighton Soul is the busy brunch cafe at 129 Church Street with a reputation for colourful plates, and for dog owners the draw is the sunny courtyard out the back, reached down the side laneway. Dogs are welcome there and at the front street seating, away from the indoor dining room.

The dog setup

The rear courtyard is covered and heated, so it works year round, and staff are easy about dogs at the tables. The space is compact and staff move through it constantly, so keep your dog tucked close to your chair. Bring your own water bowl to be safe, and head in early on weekends because the courtyard tables go first.

Pepsi: the laneway entrance to the courtyard means you can skip the front footpath crush entirely, which makes arrivals much simpler with a dog on lead.

The vibe

The kitchen leans inventive, with dishes like tiramisu French toast, crispy chicken bao and wagyu burgers alongside a serious list of specialty lattes and smoothies. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are well covered. It is a high-turnover brunch room, so expect pace rather than lingering quiet, especially Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on Church Street, a short walk from Middle Brighton Station. Street parking runs along Church Street and the side streets and gets tight at peak brunch hours, so an early arrival helps if you are driving with the dog.

Pair it with

A stroll along Church Street's shops keeps the dog on lead and interested, and for sand time Brighton Beach is close by within the council's seasonal off-leash windows. For an off-lead grass run instead, William Street Reserve is nearby. On the foreshore, North Point is the other dog-friendly table with a bay view.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Brighton destination page.