The Glasshouse Cafe

The Glasshouse Cafe is on Binara Street in the Canberra city centre at 10 Binara Street, an airy, plant-filled bistro with wraparound glass and leafy views. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating, which makes it one of the more practical weekday coffee stops in the CBD if you are walking through Civic with your dog.

The dog setup

The outdoor tables run along the footpath and entry area, sheltered by the building structure, so you get some cover from sun or a passing shower. There is no dedicated dog menu, but staff are generally accommodating of well-behaved dogs on leads; bring your own collapsible bowl rather than counting on one being on hand. Weekday mornings are the easy window, outside the noon lunch rush.

On the plate

The kitchen runs breakfast and lunch bistro fare: egg and bacon rolls, breakfast rostis and pancakes in the morning, then gourmet sandwiches, salads, burgers, pasta and a well-regarded schnitzel at lunch, all at CBD-reasonable prices. Coffee is reliable. Hours are 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday with the kitchen closing at 2:30pm, and it is closed on weekends, so this is a work-week outing rather than a Saturday plan.

Getting there and parking

Binara Street has paid street parking, with city carparks nearby as a backup, and the cafe is a short walk from the bus interchange and light rail, so arriving on foot with the dog is straightforward.

Close by with the dogs

Garema Place and City Walk are a short stroll for a leg stretch, and the Molonglo River and Lake Burley Griffin loop track handles the proper walk. The Haig Park dog agility course in Braddon is a few minutes north. Cafe Chapter 4 and Lil Brew Espresso Bar are the nearby city-cafe alternatives.

More stops in the city are on the Canberra destination page, and the full list is in the ACT cafes index.