Brothers Ben Cafe

Brothers Ben Cafe occupies a cosy 1800s butcher shop building on Palace Street in Petersham, and it has become one of the Inner West's reliable brunch stops for dog owners. The draw is the street-side seating: dogs are welcome at the pavement tables out front, and staff have a friendly reputation with four-legged visitors. The kitchen turns out chilli scrambled eggs, corn fritters, hash browns, bacon and egg buns and dedicated vegan options, with banh mi and a chocolate brownie covering the later arrivals.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you at the small outdoor tables on the pavement; the indoor dining room is off limits. Water bowls and the occasional treat show up often enough that regulars expect them, but nothing is guaranteed, so pack your own bowl. Because the tables sit directly on the street, keep your dog on lead and settled close to your chair, and position yourself between your dog and passing foot traffic if it is a busy morning.

Worth knowing

Hours run 7am to 2:30pm on weekdays and 8am to 2:30pm on weekends, so this is strictly a morning-and-lunch operation. Weekend mornings get busy and the outdoor tables are limited, so arriving early is the difference between a spot and a wait. The kitchen is an Asian-fusion brunch menu rather than the standard big-breakfast lineup.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 74 Palace Street, Petersham, about a five-minute walk from Petersham Station, which makes the train the practical option. Free street parking is available around the neighbourhood but tightens up considerably during peak weekend brunch hours.

Close by with the dogs

Petersham Park has a designated off-leash area near the Wentworth and Brighton Street corner, a short walk away for a run before or after brunch. The Enmore Fenced Dog Park is the fully fenced option nearby, and Lewisham West dog off-leash area is one suburb over. For lunch drinks, Golden Barley Hotel welcomes dogs in its outdoor areas.

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

Max: pavement tables on a quiet leafy street, chilli scramble on the way, and an off-leash patch at Petersham Park to burn off the brownie.