Little Henri

Little Henri fills a converted bank building on Thornbury's High Street, and the dog-friendly real estate is out the back: a split-level, leafy courtyard where dogs are welcome while you eat. It is a proper garden table rather than a kerbside perch, which puts it a cut above most High Street dog options.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the outdoor courtyard, not the interior dining room. The split levels and planting give room to tuck a dog beside your table out of the walkway, so a settled dog fits easily. Staff will usually bring a water bowl on request, though on a busy weekend bringing your own is the safer bet.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans modern Australian brunch, with chilli eggs, baked beans and eggs benedict among the picks and strong vegetarian and vegan coverage. Weekdays are relaxed; weekend brunch is bustling with a genuine wait for courtyard tables mid-morning. Hours run 7:30am to 3:30pm on weekdays and 8am to 3:30pm on weekends.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 850 High Street, Thornbury. Free street parking along High Street and the side streets fills early on weekends, and the 86 tram stops close by, which is the easier arrival with a dog on a relaxed morning.

Close by with the dogs

The Mayer Park Dog Off Leash Area is an easy walk for a run before coffee, and the Merri Creek trail threads through the suburb for an on-lead leg-stretch; the Merri Park Dog Off Leash Area adds a big grassy run a short trip south. High Street itself is worth the post-brunch stroll, and Jerry Joy is another Thornbury courtyard option.

Pepsi: get in before 9 on a Saturday and the courtyard is all yours. By ten it is a queue of prams and dogs, and nobody is in a hurry but everybody is waiting.

More inner north options sit under the Victorian cafes listing, and the Thornbury guide covers the strip.