Saint and co

Saint and Co sits on Hawken Drive in the middle of St Lucia's shopping strip, opening at 6am every day of the week and closing at 2pm. It is a neighbourhood morning cafe in the truest sense, and dogs are part of the regular crowd out front.

Dogs at the tables

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor pavement seating on Hawken Drive; there is no indoor access. The footpath tables sit right on the strip, so keep the lead short while orders and plates are moving. Staff are used to dogs and easygoing about them, but water bowls are not a given, so bring one if your dog needs a drink on warmer mornings.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans towards generous breakfast rolls, burgers and fresh juices at cafe prices, and the coffee keeps the locals coming. Peak trade runs roughly 7.30am to 9.30am, when the regulars file in before work and uni, often with dogs in tow. If you would rather have space at the front tables, mid morning after nine thirty is calmer. It is a small strip cafe rather than a destination brunch room, so do not expect a queue-managed operation, just quick service and a familiar crowd.

Getting there and parking

The address is 3/219 Hawken Drive, St Lucia, opposite the IGA in the pedestrian-friendly part of the strip. Street parking runs along Hawken Drive and the surrounding residential streets, and it is an easy walk from much of the suburb. Buses along Hawken Drive put you within a block if you are coming from Indooroopilly or Toowong.

Make a day of it

Pair coffee with a run first: Carawa Street Park has a fenced dog area a short walk away, and the Brisbane River West End trail starts from this side of the suburb for a longer riverside walk. If you are browsing further afield, the Nowhere Espresso in Toowong covers the afternoon shift.

More ideas are on the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and the St Lucia destination page.