Blackwork

Blackwork is an industrial-styled brunch cafe on Hewish Road in central Croydon, and the draw for dog owners is the large outdoor dining area out front, where well-behaved dogs are a regular fixture alongside the premium coffee. It is the most polished brunch room in the Maroondah strip, and the dog welcome is a genuine local habit rather than a grudging one.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating out front, which is roomy by street-cafe standards and gets steady use from local dog walkers. Indoors is for people only. Staff are accommodating, but bring your own water bowl to be safe rather than assuming one is on hand. Weekend mornings fill quickly, so the outdoor tables can run out; weekday visits are easier with a dog.

Pepsi: chilli prawn scramble for the humans, a patch of Hewish Road sun for me. Croydon brunch has levels now.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans gourmet: pork belly bao, chilli prawn scramble, apple crumble hotcakes and a solid run of vegan and vegetarian dishes, with well-regarded coffee and matcha. Hours run from 6:30am weekdays and 7am weekends through to 4pm, which suits early walkers. It opens seven days.

Getting there and parking

Find it at 22 Hewish Road, a short walk from Croydon Station and the Main Street shopping strip. Street parking is available nearby, timed in the busier blocks, and the station-side position makes a car-free arrival easy. The surrounding residential streets are quiet and flat for an on-lead warm-up walk.

Make a day of it

For proper off-lead time, the Eastfield Fenced Dog Park is the standout, with double-gated entry and a time-out zone for quieter dogs. The Bede Spillane Reserve Fenced Dog Park and Charles Allen Reserve cover other corners of the suburb, and Queen Street cafe is the nearby alternative coffee stop.

More options are on the VIC cafes list or in the Croydon guide.