East End Hub

East End Hub is a casual cafe at Unit 3/3 King Street in Newcastle East, a short walk from Newcastle Beach. It runs daily from 7am to 3pm with floor-to-ceiling windows indoors and a generous al fresco section out front, and it is an easy brunch stop with a dog before a beach walk.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor al fresco seating, including the footpath tables where you catch the sea breeze, and staff frequently put water bowls out for canine visitors. Indoors is generally assistance animals only under NSW food rules. Pack your own bowl as backup on busy days, and keep your dog tucked clear of the footpath flow along King Street.

The menu

Brunch runs to hot cakes, eggs Benedict with the house hollandaise and the Big Hub Breakfast, and topics from reviewers keep coming back to the corn fritters and ricotta pancakes. From midday the kitchen lifts: king prawn and spanner crab spaghetti, calamari salads and steak burgers, with cooked-to-order vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options throughout. There is specialty coffee, loose-leaf tea and a licensed bar, plus free Wi-Fi and table service. Wheelchair access covers the entrance, seating and amenities.

Getting there and parking

Street parking is around but competitive on weekends, with paid parking through the Newcastle East area. It is a very short walk from Newcastle Beach and the East End accommodation strip.

Close by with the dogs

The obvious pairing is Horseshoe Beach, Newcastle's official off-leash dog beach on the harbour side, a few minutes away. The upper lawn of King Edward Park is a leash-free zone a short walk south, and the Bathers Way coastal path suits an on-lead leg-stretch. For another stop in the neighbourhood, Sanctum Cafe sits up in Cooks Hill.

Max: Corn fritters out front, water bowl on the ground, beach off the leash round the corner. That is the whole morning sorted.