Big Elma

Big Elma is a community-minded cafe and small art space on Nicholson Street, easy to spot by its pink frontage a stone's throw from the Merri Creek. The kitchen's potato toasties have a suburb-wide following, and the space doubles as a local gallery. One important change for dog owners: following a Merri-bek council ruling, dogs are no longer permitted in the courtyard or inside, so the current setup is front footpath only.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the front footpath tables, on lead and settled out of the foot traffic, while the courtyard and indoor rooms are now dog-free. The team remains genuinely fond of dogs, so ordering takeaway from the doorway with your dog beside you is an easy fallback. Because the dog space is the footpath, it suits a quick coffee more than a long sit-down, and a quieter weekday morning is the best window. Confirm the arrangement when you arrive, as footpath setups can shift with the weather.

Worth knowing

The kitchen works fresh and seasonal, with the potato toastie as the signature and a broth-and-beans streak through the menu. Vegan and gluten-free options are properly covered rather than an afterthought, and the focaccia is the vehicle of choice for most things. The gallery-and-community side gives the room a different feel from a standard brunch spot, and catering runs out of the same kitchen. Hours run from 7:30am Wednesday to Friday and from 8am on weekends, closing early afternoon, with Monday and Tuesday closed.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits at 138 Nicholson Street, Coburg, within walking distance of the Nicholson Street tram. Street parking on Nicholson Street and the side streets is limited, so allow a few minutes at peak times. The Merri Creek Trail is effectively around the corner, which is what makes the footpath-coffee-plus-creek-walk combination work.

Close by with the dogs

The Egan Reserve Dog Off Leash Area connects straight onto the Merri Creek Trail for an off-lead run either side of coffee, and the Bush Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is another option in the same pocket of Coburg. If you want a second dog-friendly table nearby, OhEY Cafe is a Coburg local worth adding to the loop. More options sit in the Coburg guide and across Victoria.