THE NICHOLSON COFFEE & EATERY

The Nicholson Coffee & Eatery is a small, community-minded cafe on Union Street, Brunswick, with Turkish leanings and a covered courtyard out the back. That covered outdoor area is the reason it works well year-round with a dog, and it opens from 7am on weekdays and 7.30am on weekends through to 3pm.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the covered courtyard and at the street-facing outdoor tables, so weather is less of a problem here than at most cafes. Staff are warm towards dogs and have been known to put out a puppuccino. Bring your own water bowl as a backup, since the room is small and staff are often flat out at peak.

Worth knowing

The menu runs to hearty brunch alongside Turkish staples like gozleme and pide, with gluten-free options and well-regarded coffee. The space is compact and friendly, so it suits a calm dog in a small room better than a restless one.

Max: the covered courtyard is the wet-weather ace. Rain outside, gozleme inside the courtyard, dog asleep under the table.

Getting there and parking

There is free off-street and street parking nearby, though the residential streets fill up at brunch time. It is walkable from the tram lines along Nicholson Street and Brunswick Road, which is often the easier way in.

Close by with the dogs

Small neighbourhood parks like Fleming Park sit close by, and the Capital City Trail is within reach for a longer walk. For other tables in the neighbourhood, Lux Foundry has the big foundry courtyard, while clinker and A Minor Place. round out the local dog-friendly options.

More in the area

See more dog friendly cafes in VIC or the full guide to Brunswick.