Roar Espresso

Roar Espresso is a casual coffee spot inside the Brighton Homes Arena precinct at Springfield Central, the Brisbane Lions' training and administration base. It pours solid coffee and does healthy breakfasts, and the car-free concourse out front gives leashed dogs room to settle beside your table, which is why it works so well for dog owners.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor alfresco seating in front of the cafe. The concourse is open and pedestrian-only, so there is space to keep a dog comfortable without them sitting in a footpath crowd. Keep your dog leashed and next to the table; staff are used to well-behaved dogs in this outdoor zone. Bring a water bowl, as nothing is confirmed on that front.

What it serves

The menu leans healthy: breakfast plates with gluten-free options, bowls and toasties, plus coffee, shakes and juice. Reviewers mention the bacon and the cooked-to-order breakfasts, and there is a community feel on weekday mornings when the precinct fills with locals and Lions staff.

Getting there and the weekday catch

The cafe is at 16 Eden Station Drive, Springfield Central, inside the Brighton Homes Arena complex, with free parking on-site. The catch is the hours: it opens Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm, and is closed on weekends entirely. Plan a weekday visit or you will be looking at the shutters.

Pair it with

The Sirius Fenced Dog Park at Orion Springfield Central is a few minutes away, a fenced off-lead run with the advantage of being open weekends even though the cafe is not. For a bigger session, Opossum Creek Parklands Fenced Dog Park at Brookwater has separate enclosures and walking tracks. Toast N Roast is the other Springfield Central cafe option.

Weekday mornings are best, both for open hours and for a quieter concourse before lunch. Pawscapes lists more dog friendly cafes in Queensland and other Springfield Central places to try with the dog.