Afterglow Eatery

Afterglow Eatery at 10 Epping Park Drive is the cafe in Epping that actually builds for dogs rather than just tolerating them: al fresco tables by the entrance, water bowls set under the benches, lead hooks by the door and $1 dog biscuits in peanut butter, oatmeal and bacon flavours. If you want more than a quick footpath coffee with your dog, this is the local pick.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome across the outdoor seating area on lead; indoor dining is off the table. Complimentary water bowls are put out and staff regularly offer the treats, so it is one of the few stops where you can genuinely rehydrate a dog before or after a walk. Arrive early on weekends because the outdoor tables fill fast, particularly once the after-park crowd arrives.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen runs on ONA Coffee and an all-day brunch menu with a reputation that travels: fish tacos, a prawn burger, shakshuka with chorizo, ricotta hotcakes and a big coconut French toast. The Einspanner latte has become a signature order. Hours are 6am to 3pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 3pm weekends.

Getting there and parking

There is a free on-site car park plus a dedicated quick pick-up bay for takeaway, which makes arriving by car with a dog easier than at most Epping cafes on the strip.

Close by with the dogs

Epping Park itself sits next door for an on-lead leg stretch, and the fenced West Epping Park dog park off Grant Close is a short drive away for a proper off-leash run behind double gates. The ELS Hall Park dog park at Marsfield is another fenced option one suburb over. For a second coffee stop, Ellie's Espresso Cafe and Bar is the other dog-friendly cafe on Epping's list.

Pepsi: The water bowls here are the real deal, so this is a good stop to properly rehydrate before a longer walk.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Epping destination page, with the state list in the NSW cafes index.