The Factory Grind

The Factory Grind is a busy, casual neighbourhood cafe at 1/344 Bourke Street near Taylor Square, open daily from early morning. Dogs are welcome at the sidewalk tables out front, which makes it an easy, no-fuss stop on a Surry Hills dog walk.

The dog setup

The outdoor seating runs along the footpath, so your dog settles beside you while you eat, watching the Bourke Street parade go by. It is a relaxed, genuinely dog-friendly patch of gutter seating in a suburb that does this well. Bring your own water bowl rather than assuming one will be out; the tables are close to passing foot traffic, so it suits dogs that are comfortable around people, prams and other dogs.

The vibe

The kitchen leans Turkish, and the shakshuka, gozleme and kaymak draw a loyal local crowd alongside the croissants and specialty coffee. Doors open at 6am Monday to Saturday and 7am on Sunday, closing at 4pm, which makes it a natural first stop after an early lap of the parks. Weekday mornings run to a local regular crowd; weekends bring the brunch line-up.

Pepsi: Front-row seats on Bourke Street, a decent coffee for the humans, and everyone in Surry Hills stops to say hello.

Getting there

It is an easy walk from Taylor Square, and Surry Hills is a walk-or-transit suburb by nature: street parking nearby is limited and metered, especially on weekends. Central station and the light rail are both close enough to make it a stop on a longer city walk.

Pair it with

Harmony Park and Ward Park are both within walking distance for an off-leash run before or after coffee, and Paddock on Crown up the road is the other dog-friendly courtyard option in the suburb. Browse more dog friendly cafes in NSW or the Surry Hills guide.