Boschetto Cafe

Boschetto Cafe is a busy brunch spot at 482 Princes Highway, Rockdale, pulling Campos coffee and turning out poke bowls, bubble tea and generous breakfast plates. It is a convenient, workmanlike cafe rather than a destination, and the footpath tables out front make it a straightforward stop with a dog.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables along the highway frontage; indoors is people only. Staff have a good reputation for accommodating four-legged visitors, but there is no dedicated dog gear on site, so bring a collapsible water bowl rather than counting on one appearing. The footpath sits against steady Princes Highway traffic, so this suits a calm dog who settles close to the chair, and the tables go first on weekend mornings.

Max: Traffic on one side, eggs benedict on the other. I picked my side and held position like a professional.

Worth knowing

The kitchen does proper breakfasts, with eggs benedict and well-plated brunch plates carrying the reviews, and the drinks list runs from Campos espresso to matcha and bubble tea. Hours are 6:30am to 3:30pm on weekdays and 7am to 3:30pm on weekends, seven days a week, which makes it a reliable early option in a suburb where plenty of cafes open late. Service is quick, so it works for a pre-walk coffee as much as a long sit.

Getting there and parking

Rockdale Station on the T4 line is a short walk away, and the walk through the streets with a dog is flat and easy. If you drive, street parking on the surrounding blocks beats the highway itself and tightens up around peak brunch hours on weekends.

Make a day of it

For the post-coffee stretch, the Brighton Le Sands Walking Path runs the Cook Park foreshore a few minutes' drive away, with bay water on one side the whole way. Inland, Frys Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Kogarah gives a secure off-lead run, and Billy Boy Cafe and Bistro on The Grand Parade handles the return coffee. Back in Rockdale itself, ROAR CAFE is a second local option.

More options are on our NSW dog-friendly cafes list and the Rockdale page.