Sunnyside

Sunnyside is a neighbourhood cafe at 22 St Hellier Street in Heidelberg Heights, popular with locals for weekend brunch and a solid specialty coffee, with footpath seating that works well for a dog on a lead.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating on the footpath in front of the cafe. Keep your dog leashed and close, and staff will generally bring out a water bowl if you ask. There is no indoor dog access, so plan on outdoor tables only, which is worth remembering on a cold Melbourne morning.

The vibe

The menu covers brunch classics, sandwiches and toasties, and the kind of reliable coffee that suits a lazy weekend stop rather than a quick takeaway. It trades 7 am to 3 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 3 pm on weekends, so it is a breakfast-and-lunch venue rather than an afternoon one.

Getting there

It sits in a quiet residential pocket off Upper Heidelberg Road, with on-street parking generally available along St Hellier Street and the surrounding streets. Buses along Upper Heidelberg Road stop within a short walk if you would rather leave the car at home.

Close by with the dogs

For an off-lead run before or after coffee, Malahang Reserve Fenced Dog Park is the closest enclosed option and Banyule Flats Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is the bigger riverside choice a short drive away. If Sunnyside is full, Nice Guy Eddie Coffee + Kitchen and Crate Specialty Coffee are the other local cafe options.

Weekday mornings are the easiest time to get a footpath table; weekends fill fast with the local brunch crowd, so arrive early or be ready to wait.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Heidelberg Heights destination page.