Oak Davis

Oak Davis sits on the Old Princes Highway in Sutherland, entered off Eton Street, and it has quickly become the Shire's breakfast benchmark. Dogs are welcome on a leash in the outdoor courtyard and the front and rear seating zones, and patrons report water bowls plus a jar of kangaroo chews at the bar, which puts it a step beyond the standard outdoor table arrangement. It opens 6am weekdays and 7am weekends through to 2pm, and the 4.8 level of enthusiasm in the reviews is the kind that fills the courtyard by 8am.

The menu is the reason for the queue: the bacon and egg bun is the signature, smashed avo, chilli eggs and pancakes cover the classics, and the acai bowl and presentation draw their own fans. The room has the energy of a city brunch spot transplanted to Sutherland, with staff who keep coffee moving even at peak. The courtyard is the dog zone, and it is a genuinely pleasant space rather than a footpath squeeze.

Worth knowing

Parking is easiest on Eton Street and the surrounding residential blocks, and Sutherland station is a short walk if you are coming from further afield on the Illawarra line. The 2pm close is earlier than the city norm, so late brunch plans need an early start. The dog details come by way of the Pupsy listing and visitor posts rather than a venue policy page, so if you are bringing a large or energetic dog at peak time, the rear courtyard is the room to aim for.

While you're out there

Sutherland's dog friendly shortlist is compact but solid: Left Bower is the other specialty coffee stop, the Royal Hotel covers pub lunches, and our Sutherland guide ties the area together alongside the NSW cafe list.