Second Home

Second Home sits just off Eltham's main strip at 21 Brougham Street, in an Alistair Knox-designed mud-brick building beside the Eltham Library, and the courtyard is the reason to bring your dog along. It is a genuinely dog-friendly cafe with the space to prove it, not just a strip of footpath tables.

The dog setup

The courtyard is the main spot for dogs, a relaxed, contained space where they can settle at your feet while you eat. Footpath seating out the front takes dogs too if you are passing through on a walk. Dogs stay in the outdoor and courtyard areas rather than inside. Staff are accommodating and will usually sort out a water bowl, but pack your own in case the morning rush beats them to it.

Worth knowing

The kitchen is built around fresh, well-executed brunch: golden folded eggs, scones, smashed avocado and house-made cakes, with vegan options and locally roasted coffee. The warehouse fit-out, high ceilings and fireplace give it a warm feel that works year round. Hours run 8am to 3pm weekdays and to 3:30pm weekends. Weekend mornings fill fast, so arrive early for a courtyard table.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along Brougham Street and the surrounding side streets, and the public car park behind the Eltham Library is a short walk away. Eltham station on the Hurstbridge line is close if you are arriving on foot from the train.

Close by with the dogs

The library gardens next door are a quiet spot for a leg stretch, and the Diamond Creek Trail passes through Eltham for a longer on-lead walk. For an off-lead run, Wingrove Park is close by and Eltham North Dog Park sits at the top of the trail. Other dog-friendly coffee options in town include Third Chapter and the Tea Pot Cafe.

More of the area's dog-friendly eats are on the Eltham destination page.