Ground Up Cafe

Ground Up is a laneway cafe on Ruthven Street in the Toowoomba CBD, tucked behind the street frontage near the Toowoomba Library and pouring ONA Coffee. The courtyard out the back is the dog side of the house, quieter and more sheltered than any footpath table.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor laneway and courtyard seating, where the rustic fit-out gives them a calmer patch to settle than the main strip. Staff are accommodating, and the setup works best with the dog on a lead at the outdoor tables rather than inside.

Bring a water bowl if you are staying for a proper brunch, and pick a table with a bit of wall behind it if your dog prefers watching the laneway rather than the door.

The vibe

It has a laid-back, slightly artistic laneway feel, and the menu covers both indulgent and lighter ends: eggs benedict, the brekky burger and a steak sandwich, plus fritters, shakshouka and single-origin long blacks. Hours run 6:30am to 2pm on weekdays and 7am to 2pm on weekends, so it is strictly a breakfast and lunch spot.

Getting there

The address is 501 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba City QLD 4350. Street parking is available on Ruthven Street and around, with council car parks a short walk away, and the laneway entry is easy to walk past the first time, so watch for the signage.

Pair it with

Queens Park is a few minutes away for an on-lead walk, with the off-lead side covered by the Queens Park Dog Off-Leash Area. If you are cafe-hopping, Mintie's Coffee and Bar and Park House Cafe are other dog-welcoming counters in the CBD.

More options are on the Queensland cafe guide and the Toowoomba City destination page.