Crested Capers

Crested Capers is a family-owned bakery and cafe on Oshea Avenue in Southbrook, a small rural town on the Darling Downs between Toowoomba and the Gore Highway. It is a regular pitstop for travellers and locals alike, with pies, sausage rolls and sweet treats from the oven and dogs welcome in the outdoor seating areas.

The dog setup

Dogs are looked after in the shaded courtyard and outside seating spaces, where you can sit with your dog while you order at the counter. Dogs are not permitted inside the food service area, and they should stay leashed throughout. Water bowls are often put out for visiting dogs, but bring your own to be safe, and keep your dog close until you are settled, as Oshea Avenue is a through-road with parking right out the front.

Worth knowing

The kitchen opens early: Wednesday to Friday the doors are open from 5:30am to 11:30am, and the cafe shuts Saturday to Tuesday, so plan your stop midweek. The offer centres on traditional bakery fare, with pies, sausage rolls and rotating baked goods alongside coffee, hot chocolate made with melted chocolate and specialty chai. The team grew out of a mobile coffee van and local market presence, so the pastry range can shift day to day; if you are visiting specifically for pies, it is worth checking their socials first.

Getting there and parking

The bakery sits at 1 Short Street, just off Oshea Avenue, Southbrook QLD 4363, an easy stop off the highway whether you are travelling to or from Toowoomba or the surrounding rural areas. There is ample street and off-street parking directly in front, so you can leave the dog in the car for only the minute it takes to order.

Close by with the dogs

If you are continuing into Toowoomba, New Brew Cafe on Taylor Street welcomes dogs at its outdoor tables near Newtown Park, and Park House Café is another proven stop in the city. For an off-lead run before the drive, Vann Street Park in Wilsonton has a designated dog off-leash area.

Pepsi: Pies for the humans, a water bowl for me. Highway stops rarely go this well.

Aim for a Wednesday to Friday morning stop to catch the oven at full output and the courtyard at its most relaxed. More options across the region are on the Queensland cafes page, with local planning notes on the Southbrook guide.