Mr Sister Cafe

Mr Sister is the neighbourhood brunch cafe at 81 Waverley Road, Malvern East, and its dog case rests on the rear courtyard: a covered, heated outdoor room that takes the weather out of the equation, so a cold Melbourne morning does not cancel the outing. There is also street-facing table service under umbrellas out the front when the courtyard fills. It runs a broad all-day brunch menu with serious coffee and matcha, and service is quick enough that a waiting dog is not waiting long.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the rear courtyard, which is partly undercover and heated through the cooler months, and at the front footpath tables under the umbrellas as a backup. Dogs stay out of the indoor room. Staff are comfortable around dogs and will bring a water bowl on request. The courtyard's solid cover makes it one of the more reliable winter dog seats in the area.

The menu

The kitchen leans creative: Mr Benedict, chilli and herb eggs, smashed avocado, zucchini fritters and a well-regarded potato rosti are the regulars, plus a haloumi arepa that shows up in reviews and a rhubarb porridge with berries for the gentler appetites. Vegetarian and vegan adjustments are easy, and the coffee and matcha lattes hold their own. Hours are 7am to 3:30pm weekdays, 7:30am Saturday and 8am Sunday, with the kitchen winding up around 2:30pm, so late lunch is a coffee-and-pastry affair.

Getting there and parking

The cafe fronts Waverley Road, with street parking along it and the side streets; weekends fill by mid-morning, so arrive early for a prime table. Trams run along Waverley Road and Caulfield station is an easy walk, which turns the visit into a dog-and-train morning if you would rather skip parking altogether.

Close by with the dogs

For the off-lead leg, Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park Dog Off Leash Area and Ardrie Park Dog Off Leash Area are both close, and Pawfield Park Fenced Dog Park at Caulfield East is the fully fenced option a little further east.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Malvern East destination page.

Max: the heated courtyard in July is my favourite invention. Potato rosti for the human, a water bowl for me, and nobody is cold.