The Refinery espresso

The Refinery Espresso is an Italian-style cafe at 10 Coronation Street in Hornsby, known for coffee roasted in house and an early weekday start. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, which makes it a workable stop on the way back from a morning walk.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you at the footpath-facing outdoor tables, which run heaters for cooler mornings, and water bowls are put out for visiting dogs. Indoor seating is off limits, so this is a fair-weather, outdoor-table deal.

Staff are easy about dogs and the street-side tables make it simple to keep yours settled while you eat. The cafe opens as early as 5am on weekdays for pre-work coffees and closes on Sundays, so plan around the weekend gap.

The vibe

Think quick, competent cafe service rather than a slow brunch room: fresh-roasted coffee, a solid breakfast and brunch menu, and a stream of locals through the door. Peak weekend mornings fill the footpath, so a weekday visit is easier with a dog in tow.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits near the Hornsby CBD, with an open-air council car park nearby plus street parking on Coronation Street. Hornsby Station is within walking distance if you are arriving by train.

Make a day of it

Pair a coffee here with a run at Rofe Park in Hornsby Heights, which has a fenced leash-free dog area with water bowls and waste bags. For another table nearby, Brewhaha on Peats Ferry Road keeps dogs on its footpath seating, and Cozy Cups by Absolute Thai is the other local dog-friendly option on our list.

More dog-friendly tables across the region are in our NSW cafes guide, and the Hornsby destination page gathers the suburb's dog-friendly venues in one place.