Giles St. Cafe & Catering

Giles St. Cafe & Catering is a busy modern cafe in the Aspire building on Giles Street, Kingston, a short walk from the Kingston Foreshore. It turns out fresh breakfasts, lunches and specialty coffee, and it is listed among Canberra's dog-friendly cafes, with dogs welcome at the outdoor tables.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the outdoor seating, which is roomy enough to be comfortable rather than a row of squeezed-in kerbside tables. Water bowls are typically on hand, though carrying your own is sensible on a warm Canberra day. Keep the dog leashed and clear of the foot traffic between the tables and the street.

The vibe

The kitchen is known for its coffee and a fresh, flavour-forward menu: seafood mains, big breakfasts and wholesome salads get regular mentions, with the pulled pork benny a favourite. It also runs a catering operation, so weekday mornings can be brisk. Hours run 7:30am to 2:30pm on weekdays and from 8am on weekends, so it is a breakfast-and-lunch venue.

Pepsi: come before 9am on a weekend. The outdoor tables fill fast, and this strip of Kingston has no shortage of competition once the brunch crowd arrives.

Getting there and parking

The address is Unit 74/71 Giles Street, Kingston. Street parking on Giles Street and the neighbouring streets can be tight, with paid lots down on the foreshore. It is an easy walk from the Kingston shops or a short drive from Barton or Manuka.

Make a day of it

Work the breakfast off at Kingston View Drive Dog Park, the fenced run up the hill, or take the lakeside path toward the foreshore. Dockside Cafe and Rosemary by EightyTwenty are two more dog-friendly cafe options in the same patch of Kingston.

For more, browse dog friendly cafes in the ACT or around Kingston.