Piccolo Me Prestons

Piccolo Me Prestons sits in the small commercial strip just off Kurrajong Road (listed at 1 Melito Court), trading 6am to 3pm weekdays and closed weekends. It is a weekday cafe in the classic sense: strong barista coffee, loaded breakfast rolls and a serious burger menu, with a covered outdoor courtyard at the rear where leashed dogs are welcome.

The dog setup

The indoor dining room is off limits for dogs, so aim for the undercover courtyard out the back. Staff will often bring out a water bowl, but carry your own in case one is not on hand. The courtyard tables sit fairly close together, so a settled dog that can hold a down-stay next to the table will have a much easier time than one that reacts to close passersby.

Worth knowing

The menu runs from bacon and egg rolls to the Hangover Roll with hash brown and hickory BBQ sauce, plus chuck-and-brisket burgers like the Piccolo Me Burger, wraps, cold-pressed juices and thickshakes. Regulars rate the coffee and the staff, who get consistent praise for being quick and genuinely kind. Mornings fill with the breakfast crowd, so mid-morning or early afternoon is the quiet window for a courtyard table.

Getting there and parking

Street parking on Kurrajong Road and the surrounding complex bays is generally easy, with flat, step-free access from the car park to the courtyard.

For off-lead time, Macleod Park Fenced Dog Park on Ulladulla Drive is the council-run run just down the road, and Lil Coffee Bean & Co is the same-suburb alternative in the shopping village. More in the NSW cafes index.

Max: the courtyard tables sit close together, so a calmer dog will have an easier time here than one that reacts to close passersby.