Friends of Ours Cafe

Friends of Ours Cafe is one of Essendon North's busiest brunch rooms, at 1097 Mt Alexander Road, opening 6am on weekdays and 7am on weekends. It is genuinely dog-friendly: the footpath seating out front is the standard spot for dogs, and the team is known for accommodating well-behaved dogs at tables rather than merely putting up with them.

The dog setup

The outdoor footpath row is where you take a dog, and staff will do their best to place you at a workable table on busy mornings. Some visitors report being welcomed indoors with dogs as well, but that is not a posted policy, so ask the crew on arrival rather than assuming. There is no guaranteed water-bowl or treat service, so pack your own bowl.

Max: the 1P bays on Mt Alexander Road are strictly patrolled. Set a timer when you feed the meter, because a brunch that runs long will cost you a fine.

Worth knowing

The kitchen works through a gourmet all-day menu: Smashed Avocado, Beef Brisket Benedict, the Three Little Pigs with pulled pork, poached eggs and hollandaise on brioche, and a Mediterranean breakfast with grilled halloumi and green olives. Vegetarian and vegan options are strong, the specialty coffee is well regarded, and the exposed-brick room draws a steady local crowd, with more than six hundred reviews averaging around 4.5.

Getting there and parking

Parking is mostly 1P on Mt Alexander Road and the surrounding side streets, enforced actively. Tram 59 to stop 42 near Napier Street drops you essentially at the door. Arrive early on weekends if you want a footpath table without a wait.

Pair it with

Burn off brunch at Alf Pearce Reserve Fenced Dog Park in Strathmore, a five-minute drive away, with fully fenced separate areas for large and small dogs, a double-gate entry, agility equipment and a water fountain. For another dog-friendly coffee stop, Take 3 Cafe in Essendon is close by.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Essendon North destination page.