Mercado

Mercado is a modern brunch cafe in Mermaid Plaza on Markeri Street, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables. The early hours are the real draw for dog owners: it opens at 5:30am, which makes it a natural first or last stop around a morning walk. It holds a 4.7 rating over 240-plus reviews.

The dog setup. Dogs sit with you at the outdoor, footpath-style tables, not indoors. Staff often bring out a water bowl, but pack your own to be safe. The plaza setting means foot traffic passes close, so this one suits a dog that stays settled around people rather than a reactive one.

Good to know. The menu is a Latin-leaning brunch: birria torta, breakfast and chorizo burritos, drowned eggs, avo toast, and papaya bowls, with coffee that reviewers rate well. Fresh, filling, and quick.

Getting there. Find it at 88 Markeri St, inside the Mermaid Plaza shopping precinct. There is ample free parking in the plaza car park, so arriving with the dog in the car is easy.

Nearby with the dogs. Pizzey Park and its off-leash areas are a short drive away, and the quiet residential streets around Markeri Street work for a quick loop before or after your coffee.

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.