Village Coffee Hub

Village Coffee Hub is the breakfast-and-lunch cafe inside Cameron Park Plaza at Shop 9, 309 Portland Drive, on Newcastle's Lake Macquarie side. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables facing the footpath, which makes the plaza stop workable for dog walkers passing through the suburb.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you at the outdoor, footpath-facing tables outside the plaza entrance, not inside the cafe. There is room under the tables for a dog to settle, and staff have been known to bring out a water bowl on request, though bringing your own is the safe play in case one is already spoken for. The outdoor section is compact and fills fast once the weekend breakfast rush starts, so go early if a table outside is the plan.

The vibe and the menu

This is a generous, unfussy kitchen: eggs benedict, loaded bacon and egg rolls, hash browns, big portions and a cake cabinet, with barista coffee that regulars rate alongside the friendly, efficient service. Vegetarian and healthier options sit alongside the classics. Hours are 7am to 4pm daily with the kitchen closing at 2pm, so late lunches become a coffee-and-cake affair.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is inside Cameron Park Plaza with free parking at the door and level, accessible access, which makes it an easy stop for anyone managing a dog, a pram or both. There is no off-leash park attached to the plaza itself, so plan a short drive or a street walk through the surrounding suburb for a proper stretch before or after coffee.

The fenced run at Speers Point is a short drive east for off-lead time, Brewski & Co is the suburb's other dog-friendly cafe, and Hippy Java at Boolaroo is another stop on the way toward the lake.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Cameron Park destination page, with the state list in the NSW cafes index.