Courtyard Dining & Espresso

Courtyard Dining & Espresso is the brunch anchor of Telopea's little shop strip at 3a Telopea Street, a short walk from the station in Sydney's north-west. It earns its rating on generous plates and proper coffee, and for dog owners the draw is the shaded outdoor courtyard, where leashed dogs settle in beside the tables while you work through a serious brunch menu.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables under the umbrellas, which keeps things comfortable even as the morning warms up. Keep the lead on; the courtyard fills with weekend traffic and plates land on low tables. Bring your own dog bowl, as a water supply for pets is not a given. This is a table-service courtyard rather than a takeaway counter, so it suits dogs who are happy to lie at your feet for a decent stretch of time.

The menu

The all-day menu runs from the Butcher's Brekkie and Southern Fried Eggs Benedict to the Banoffee Hotcake, avocado smash and a tropical acai bowl, with corn fritters and bacon and egg rolls rounding out the regulars' orders. Portions run large, vegetarian and vegan options are well covered, and the coffee holds its own against anything on the Parramatta side of the river. Hours are 7am to 2pm on weekdays and 8am to 2pm on weekends, so this is a breakfast-and-lunch kitchen rather than an all-day cafe.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits just west of Telopea station on the T9 Northern line, which is the easy way in. Around the strip you will find free street parking in the surrounding residential streets. Weekend mornings get busy from about 9am, so earlier is calmer for a dog visit.

While you're out there

For a proper run either side of brunch, George Kendall Riverside Park Fenced Dog Park at Ermington is a short drive away, and Cowell's Lane Reserve adds a bushland off-lead option. Another dog-friendly brunch target is Daisys By The Park in Dundas Valley.

More options are on the New South Wales dog friendly cafes guide and the Telopea destination page.