Tastebuds at the Hills

Tastebuds at the Hills is the long-running local cafe in the Hills Marketplace at 5/287 Mona Vale Road, Terrey Hills, and one of the most reliably dog-friendly stops on the northern beaches side of Sydney. Dogs are welcome on the covered outdoor patio, water bowls are on hand, and the kitchen has a track record of slipping patient dogs a treat.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the covered outdoor seating rather than inside, and there is decent room to settle a dog beside the table without blocking the foot traffic. The patio turns over quickly, so even on a busy morning you rarely wait long for a seat. Ask for a water bowl if one is not already out.

The vibe

This is a proper neighbourhood cafe with an easygoing feel and an early start: doors open from 6am on weekdays, 6:30 on Saturdays and 7am on Sundays, with the kitchen winding up at 4pm. Regulars come for the bacon and egg rolls, smoothies, freshly squeezed juices, milkshakes and the carrot cake, and there is a muffin-and-coffee deal for early starters. Weekday mornings before 8am are the quiet window; weekend brunch is the crush. Best for social dogs who take a busy patio in their stride.

Pepsi: The humans get the bacon and egg roll, I get a bit of bacon, everyone leaves happy.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits just off Mona Vale Road with a large free car park at the door, an easy pull-in whether you are coming from the Northern Beaches or over from the Upper North Shore. That makes it a natural stop before or after a run at the fenced off-leash dog park at the Terrey Hills Playing Fields on Myoora Road, a few minutes away.

Pair it with

The Coffee House by Cashew's Artisans is a short walk along the same stretch of Mona Vale Road if you are doing a cafe crawl, and The Tasting Deck on Myoora Road is the other local favourite. Terrey Hills Tavern covers the other end of the day. Browse more dog friendly cafes in NSW or the Terrey Hills guide.