Soulful Home Cafe

Soulful Home Cafe on The Highway is a busy, well-rated Mount Waverley brunch spot a short walk from the station, and one of the few cafes in the east that treats dogs as genuine customers rather than tolerated guests. The outdoor area takes dogs, water bowls get put out, and the online menu carries a dedicated Dog Meal.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area, where staff are friendly toward them and dog bowls are provided. The indoor dining room stays people only, so plan on an outside table. On a hot day bring your own water as backup in case the bowls are all in use. The kitchen even lists a Dog Meal on its online menu, so your dog can order alongside you; ask staff what is on it that day.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans plant-forward: extensive vegan and vegetarian options run alongside pulled pork and teriyaki chicken bowls, with okonomiyaki, hash browns and tofu scramble among the signatures. Sauces and baked elements are made in house, portion sizes get regular praise, and cold-pressed juices and smoothies cover the drinks side. Hours run 7:30am to 3:30pm on weekdays, 8am on weekends.

Pepsi: a cafe where the dog actually gets a menu item. Mount Waverley, take a bow.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on The Highway at Mount Waverley, close to Mount Waverley Station, so arriving on foot with the dog is straightforward. Street parking is available along The Highway and the surrounding streets, though it tightens near the shopping strip at peak brunch hours.

Close by with the dogs

The Damper Creek Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is a bushy off-lead walk minutes away, with the Mt Waverley Reserve Dog Off Leash Area on the other side of the suburb. For another table, Son of Tucci near the station is the local's other regular.

More options are in the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and on the Mount Waverley destinations page.