Leaf Cafe & Co(Leppington)

Leaf Cafe & Co runs a string of cafes across Sydney's south west, and the Emerald Hills store carries the formula into one of the newest shopping villages in the region, right in Leppington. The fit-out is spacious by suburb-cafe standards, and the kitchen turns out plates that photograph well enough to keep the store's social feed busy.

The cafe's own website advertises a spacious dog-friendly outdoor area at the Emerald Hills store, which makes this one of the clearer dog policies in the region: dogs are welcome at the outside tables, and the space is genuinely sized for them rather than being a couple of footpath chairs. Standard leash courtesy still applies, and the outdoor layout gives you room to park a larger dog out of the walkway.

The menu runs from a much-photographed pistachio french toast to superfood salads and gluten free options, with portions that visitors mention as generous. Staff get repeated praise for being welcoming, which helps when you are juggling a dog lead and a coffee order at the same time.

Find it at Shop 3A, Emerald Hills Shopping Village, 5 Raby Rd, Leppington. It serves from 6:30am to 3pm every day of the week. Parking is plentiful in the village car park, and the outdoor tables sit close enough to the footpath to keep an eye on your dog without blocking the flow.

Because the venue is part of a chain, expect consistent coffee and service rather than a one-off personality, and the grand-opening buzz has settled into a steady local trade. Weekday mornings are the easiest slot for a relaxed dog-friendly brunch; weekends draw families from the new estates nearby.

Make a day of it

Leppington is growing fast, and dog infrastructure is growing with it. The Emerald Hills Dog Park is a short drive away for an off-leash run before or after brunch, and CRUMB Sydney doubles as a bakery and pub stop nearby. More options are on the NSW cafes page and the Leppington guide.