Side Piece Coffee

Side Piece Coffee has built its reputation on Varsity Lakes' dog circuit around Lake Orr, and the reported practice backs the name: staff pats, complimentary dog treats and puppuccinos for the four-legged queue. It opens 7am to 2pm daily from its shop on Capital Court, doing a steady trade in toasties, a beef dip and salmon bagels for the locals who walk past on their morning loop. Reported practice is that dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating.

The dog setup

This is a cafe where the dog gets service too, per the visitor reports that have made it a regular stop: treats at the counter, staff who come out to say hello, and puppuccinos for anyone who orders them. The outdoor seating fronts the court near Lake Orr, so most visits start with a lap of the water. Because the treats flow freely, it's worth telling staff if your dog has dietary limits rather than letting the snack parade decide.

Worth knowing

Hours run 7am to 2pm every day, so it's a morning-and-lunch venue with a hard afternoon close. Capital Court parking is small but usually has a spot outside peak morning rush, and the walk around Lake Orr is the natural warm-up. The menu is tight and sandwich-led: toasties, a deli sandwich range, chilli eggs and the beef dip. Weekends bring the dog crowd out in force, so a table can take a few minutes to free up.

Close by with the dogs

The lake loop connects easily to Frascott Park Fenced Dog Park, the suburb's fully fenced off-leash option and a good first stop before coffee. For a second breakfast stop nearby, UE Bagels and Blackboard Varsity are both within a short drive.