Temperance Society

Temperance Society is a neighbourhood brunch cafe in the Hughesdale shopping strip, a short walk from the station, and the front outdoor tables are where the dogs go. It is a relaxed local room with a serious kitchen behind it, and the handful of dog tables right by the entrance make it an easy stop for the suburb's dog-walking regulars.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the small front outdoor tables beside the entrance and footpath, on lead and tethered nearby; the main indoor dining room stays people-only. Staff are generally happy to bring out a water bowl, but carry your own on a hot day. With only a few front tables, a settled dog copes better here than a restless one.

Worth knowing

The brunch menu is the drawcard: seafood pescatore for the ambitious, lamb croquettes, crab cakes, avocado toast and a steak sandwich, with panna cotta to finish. Coffee is solid and the seasonal specials rotate. Doors open 7am on weekdays and 7:30am on weekends, closing mid-afternoon. The front tables fill fast on weekend mornings, so an early arrival is the whole trick.

Max: weekday coffee is the calm version. Weekends, be in the first wave or expect to wait for a dog table that may never open.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits in a small shopping strip a short walk from Hughesdale station, which makes the train or a walk the easiest approach. Street parking out front and on the side streets is free but limited, tightening at brunch peaks.

Close by with the dogs

The Poath Road strip itself makes an easy on-lead stroll either side of coffee, and Chichi House Cafe on Willesden Road is the suburb's other pet-friendly courtyard option for a second visit. More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Hughesdale destinations page.