Goblin Kitchen & Bar

Goblin Kitchen & Bar is a cosy cafe and bar on Sloane Street in Summer Hill, less than a minute's walk from the station, and best known for its sunny rear courtyard. Dogs are welcome throughout the outdoor seating, which makes it an easy village-brunch stop with the dog in tow.

The dog setup

The rear courtyard and the footpath tables out front are both open to dogs on lead. Indoor dining is off limits under NSW food safety rules, so plan on outdoor seating and pick the courtyard when it is available for the extra space. Water bowls are often out, but bring your own just in case on a busy morning.

Worth knowing

The kitchen turns out brunch and lunch favourites like breakfast gnocchi, ricotta and buttermilk hotcakes, corn fritters and a slow-cooked lamb shoulder salad, with proper latte-art coffee alongside. The venue also hosts the occasional live event such as open mic nights, so evenings can be busier than the daytime routine. Book ahead or arrive early on weekends: the courtyard is small and fills fast once brunch service picks up.

Getting there and parking

The address is 6 Sloane Street, Summer Hill, a short walk from Summer Hill railway station. Street parking on Sloane and the surrounding residential streets is limited and gets competitive during weekend brunch hours, so arriving on foot or by train with the dog is the low-stress option.

Close by with the dogs

Darrell Jackson Gardens, a few minutes away across the tracks on Carlton Crescent, is the local green space for an on-lead stretch before or after. When your dog needs a proper run, the fenced area at Lewisham West on the GreenWay corridor is close by, and The Granary Cafe in the Flour Mill precinct is the same-suburb alternative for another coffee.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Summer Hill destination page, and the full list is in the NSW cafes index.