The Nest Espresso Bar + Kitchen

The Nest Espresso Bar + Kitchen is a family owned neighbourhood cafe on George Street in Thebarton, an inner west suburb just west of the Adelaide parklands. It runs an all day brunch menu with Toby's Estate coffee, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, which makes it a comfortable stop for locals walking the back streets off Henley Beach Road.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you in the outdoor seating area, and the staff have a reputation for being genuinely glad to see them. Well behaved dogs are the operating assumption: keep yours on a lead and settled, because the cafe is fairly compact and the tables sit close to passing foot traffic. Bring your own water bowl to be safe, since a bowl out the front is not something you can count on.

The vibe

Inside it is cosy, with couches and a relaxed local crowd, but the coffee is the anchor: Toby's Estate beans, pulled properly. The kitchen covers all day brunch with generous portions. French toast and ricotta pancakes are the sweet picks, the steak sandwich has a strong following, and there is gluten free toast on hand, plus house made cakes in the cabinet for the second visit of the week.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 77 George Street, Thebarton, just off Henley Beach Road. Free street parking is generally available in the surrounding residential streets, and weekday mornings are the calm window if you want a quiet table with the dog. Doors open at 7am on weekdays and 8am on weekends, with service wrapping up mid afternoon.

Close by with the dogs

The Torrens Linear track loop starts in Thebarton and follows the river for a proper walk, and the River Torrens Linear Park fenced dog park in Torrensville adds an off leash option nearby. For another meal with the dog in the suburb, Bloom in the old tram barn welcomes pups in its garden, and Half Cup Cafe in Cowandilla is known for pup cups on the side street seating.

Max: French toast for the humans, the good corner of the outdoor table for me. Thebarton keeps its priorities straight.

More spots are listed on the South Australia cafes page, or browse what else is around Thebarton.