Oliver Brown(Merrylands)

Oliver Brown is the Belgian chocolate cafe at Shop 1065B, 1 McFarlane Street in Merrylands, a short walk from Stockland Merrylands and part of a small Australian chain that has built a following on churros and hot chocolate. It trades long hours, 7:30am to 9:30pm daily, which makes it one of the few dessert options in the area where an evening chocolate run with the dog is actually on the table.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables only, kept on a leash and managed by you for the whole visit. They are not permitted inside the cafe. Staff will usually provide a water bowl on request, but bringing your own removes the guesswork. The setting is a busy commercial precinct, so pick a table away from the main foot traffic and reward calm settling.

Worth knowing

The menu is built around Belgian chocolate: freshly cooked churros with warm milk or dark chocolate dip, waffles, fondue, tiramisu and fruit pancakes, plus coffee and a thick hot chocolate that draws regular praise. Reviews on service are mixed, so order at the counter with patience and do not expect table-service refinement. Weekday mornings and early afternoons are the quietest window; weekends bring crowds through the precinct.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits in the Merrylands shopping precinct near Stockland Merrylands. Free street parking is available nearby, along with the Merrylands Commuter Carpark and the shopping centre car parks. The precinct is flat and wheelchair accessible, and Merrylands station is a walk away if you arrive by train.

Close by with the dogs

For off-lead time before the churros, Little Duck Creek Reserve Fenced Dog Park in Guildford is a short drive west, with a fully fenced, double-gated run along the creek and a water tap. For another coffee stop, Vibe Blend Cafe over in Granville and The Lounge Room On James in Guildford both give you a second option on the same side of town.

More options are on the NSW dog friendly cafes guide and the Merrylands destination page.

Max: the footpath here carries prams and trolleys from opening to close. Face your dog into the wall side of the table and the whole visit gets easier.