LITTLE PIGGY CAFE

Little Piggy Cafe has become the reliable dog-friendly brunch stop in Ripley Town Centre, one of Queensland's fastest-growing corridors southwest of Brisbane. Dogs are welcome at the sheltered outdoor tables, water bowls typically come out without asking, and the kitchen covers everything from acai bowls and bacon-and-egg toasties to a Japanese curry that surprises people who came in expecting a standard cafe menu.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you at the outdoor seating, which includes a sheltered section, so a grey Ipswich morning does not end the plan. Staff are known for being welcoming and usually put water bowls out for visiting dogs. Keep your dog leashed and settled beside or under the table, especially on weekends when the town centre foot traffic picks up and other dogs pass by.

The vibe

Locals rate the coffee, the latte art, the dirty chai, raisin bread and the hungry piggy breakfast plate. A doggy ice cream turns up on the menu from time to time, though treats change, so confirm at the counter. Hours run 6:30am to 3pm weekdays and 7am to 2pm weekends, and weekends get busy, so an early sitting is the way to get a quiet outdoor table.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at Shop 17, 20 Main Street, Ripley, in the town centre off the Centenary and Cunningham highways, with the Ripley bus route at the door. Parking is the town centre's own car park: ample and free, with accessible and prams spaces. Paved walkways around the centre make for a short on-lead stroll before you sit down.

Close by with the dogs

For an off-leash run after breakfast, the Pebbles Park Fenced Dog Park is the local option and Providence Park's open space is a five to seven minute drive away. Andonis Cafe and Bar is the other Ripley dog-friendly anchor, and Remedy Espresso Cafe at Springfield Lakes covers the drive towards Brisbane.

More options are on the QLD dog friendly cafes guide and the Ripley destination page.

Pepsi: a water bowl before I even sit down, and rumours of doggy ice cream. The growth corridor has good taste.