The Cool Room

The Cool Room is a small brunch cafe on the corner of Holland and Onslow Streets, a few blocks back from Fremantle's centre. It runs on retro energy: recycled furniture, fresh flowers on the tables and a short breakfast menu built on house-made bread. Doors open Wednesday to Sunday, 8am to 12:30pm, and close for good each afternoon.

The dog setup

Dogs settle in with you on the covered outdoor patio, which gives shade on warm mornings and shelter when the sea breeze picks up. Staff are relaxed about dogs and usually bring a water bowl out, though carrying your own is never a bad idea at a cafe this size. Inside is people only.

The vibe

This is a quiet neighbourhood stop rather than a cappuccino-strip performer. The haloumi bruschetta and Portuguese tarts come up again and again among regulars, alongside poached eggs and gorgonzola eggs on grilled focaccia. Weekend mornings draw a loyal local crowd, so arriving before 9am is the surest way to claim a patio table with room for a lead. Midweek is calmer still.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits at 2/114 Holland Street in Fremantle WA, an easy walk from the centre of town. Unlike most of Freo, there is a free car park alongside plus free street parking nearby, which makes a dog-and-coffee pit stop simpler than the paid bays closer to the port.

Close by with the dogs

For a proper run after breakfast, South Beach's dog off-leash area is a short drive south, and Leighton Beach covers the northern end of town. Cafe-wise, Broody Hen Coffee Shop and GESHA Cafe are other Fremantle stops that welcome dogs.

More options are on the WA dog friendly cafes guide and the Fremantle destination page.

Max: the kitchen closes at 12:30pm sharp and does not reopen. Turn up at noon expecting brunch and you will be watching someone else's haloumi arrive.