Tinsmith Garage

Tinsmith Garage at 16 Stack Street is one of Fremantle's more unusual coffee stops: a working car workshop and cafe sharing the same shed, with vintage Volkswagen restorations parked among the tables. It makes Visit Fremantle's list of dog-friendly Freo cafes, and the coffee is regularly rated among the best in town.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on a lead at the outdoor tables out the front, which are the dog zone here, since the indoor space doubles as a workshop and retail area and indoor seating is the exception. Water bowls are usually on hand, though bringing your own is still smart on a hot Freo morning.

Worth knowing

The big bean toastie and the chai latte get named repeatedly, and the muffins are worth a look. The crowd mixes coffee regulars with classic-car fans who come to see what is on the hoist, and the chatty staff are part of the appeal. Hours run 6:30am to 2pm Monday to Friday, 7am to 2pm Saturday and 7am to 1pm Sunday, so it is a breakfast-and-lunch venue rather than an afternoon one.

Getting there and parking

Stack Street sits east of central Fremantle towards the port side of town, with free street parking and free onsite parking, a genuine bonus this close to the centre. It is an easy walk in from the heart of Freo if you are already in town with the dog.

Close by with the dogs

The South Beach dog off-leash area is the closest reliable dog beach for a proper run before coffee, and the Fremantle Groyne gives you a beachside on-lead stroll nearby. If you want to stack a second dog-friendly stop onto the trip, Two Dogs Laughing in Beaconsfield does exactly what its name promises.

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