Maple and Myrtle

Maple and Myrtle is a retro-inspired brunch cafe on the Old Princes Highway in Nairne, in the northern Adelaide Hills. Vintage furniture, a cosy fit-out and a house-made brunch menu have made it a local talking point since opening, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor verandah seating while you eat.

The dog setup

Dogs are kept to the verandah out front rather than the indoor dining room, which suits a small food-service kitchen. It is a footpath-style area rather than a fenced courtyard, so a settled, well-mannered dog on a leash matters more here than at a big beer garden. Bring your own water bowl just in case and confirm with staff on the day that the outdoor tables are ready for a thirsty dog.

Worth knowing

The draw is good coffee and a solid brunch menu with gluten-free options. Corn fritters and the bacon and egg roll come up often in reviews, alongside salmon eggs benny, smashed avo, toasties and croissants. Hours run 8am to 2pm daily, and the kitchen can wind back on quieter midweek days, so check ahead if you are coming specifically for a full brunch. There is a small kids' play area but no toilets on site.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 72 Old Princes Highway, Nairne, about a ten minute drive north of Mount Barker. Free street parking runs along the highway and there is a small free car park nearby, so arriving early on a weekend makes the verandah tables easier to land.

Make a day of it

Nairne is a good base for a Hills loop with the dog. For off-lead time, the Woofside Fenced Dog Park is the suburb's dedicated option. If you are building a food crawl, Gawler Street Cafe in Mount Barker is a dog-friendly stop further down the hill, and Howard Vineyard shows how the cellar door side of the area works.

More picks are on the SA dog friendly cafes guide and the Nairne destination page.

Max: aim for the first hour after 8am. The verandah fills with the brunch crowd later, and a settled dog is easier at a footpath table before it does.