The Peddler Cafe

The Peddler Cafe is a busy modern-Australian brunch spot on Springfield Road in Nunawading with a serious local following, and the reason to bring the dog is the rear courtyard: a partly covered backyard space with heaters where dogs are genuinely welcome rather than squeezed onto a footpath.

The dog setup

Dogs go in the covered rear courtyard, which opens off the back car park, so you can walk in with the dog without threading through the indoor dining room. The space is roomy enough to settle a dog beside your chair and it is popular with dog walkers on weekends. Staff are friendly to four-legged visitors and water is generally available, though bringing your own bowl never hurts on a busy day.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen runs a modern brunch menu with a fusion streak: chilli scrambled eggs, french toast, shakshuka, tom yum pasta and a wagyu burger are regular orders, and there are vegetarian and vegan options throughout. Coffee is Genovese and the room is rustic-chic rather than precious. It opens 7am daily, running to 3pm Mondays and 4pm the rest of the week. Saturday mornings get busy, so arrive early or book.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 295B Springfield Road, Nunawading, with parking in the rear car park and on the surrounding streets. Nunawading station is a walkable distance away. For exercise either side of brunch, the Oxford Reserve dog off-leash area is the closest run, with the Blackburn Lake Sanctuary loop a short drive east.

Nearby dog-friendly coffee options include Cups Espresso in Nunawading and Aunt Billie's Cafe over in Blackburn.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Nunawading destination page, with the full state list in the Victorian cafes index.