Picasso Bar

Picasso Bar is a casual espresso bar on the main Engadine strip at Shop 2/998 Old Princes Highway, and it is a genuinely dog-welcoming stop: dog directories list it as pet-friendly and owners report staff going out of their way to make dogs feel at home over a morning coffee. It carries a 4.7 rating across about 60 reviews.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the footpath tables out the front, leashed, right on the shop front along the Old Princes Highway. Water bowls are not permanently set out, though staff will often sort a bowl on request, so a travel bowl takes the guesswork out. The outdoor area is compact, which suits a calm dog on a short lead rather than a big sprawl.

The vibe

The food is made in-house: acai bowls with gluten-free muesli, a rotating cabinet of handmade cakes and pastries, and fresh juices, alongside well-regarded coffee with an unusually long list of alternative milks including macadamia. Hours run 6am to 3pm weekdays and 7am to 1pm weekends, so late brunch needs planning on a Saturday.

Getting there and parking

Free street parking runs along the Old Princes Highway, and council car parks sit behind the shops on either side of the strip. Engadine station is within walking distance for a car-free visit.

Close by with the dogs

For off-lead time after coffee, the Heathcote dog off-leash park is a short drive south and Helena Street Park's fenced dog park in Kirrawee gives a fully fenced option north. The Woronora River Bridge loop is a good on-lead bushwalk for the afternoon. KVS Cafe is another Engadine stop that takes dogs.

More options are on the New South Wales dog friendly cafes guide and the Engadine destination page.

Max: weekday mornings from 6am are the quiet window for a footpath table. By mid-morning the strip fills up and compact patios get tight with a dog aboard.