Cafe Vita

Cafe Vita is the health-focused cafe attached to Vita Health Club at 83 Penshurst Street, Willoughby. The gym connection shapes the whole visit: the menu runs to acai bowls, smoothies and protein-forward plates, the coffee is The Little Marionette, and the clientele moves at a jog. For dog owners, the street-front outdoor seating is the spot, and it works well as a quieter Willoughby coffee stop after a walk.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor street-front tables along Penshurst Street, leashed and clear of the footpath. Because the cafe sits inside a gym, indoor seating is off limits, so this is an alfresco-only visit in any weather. Staff are accommodating outdoors and water bowls are generally available, though a backup bowl in the bag never hurts.

Worth knowing

Hours run 7am to 4pm weekdays (per the venue's own listings, mornings are the core service), Saturday from 7am to 2pm and Sunday 8am to midday. The healthier end of the menu is the draw: loaded acai bowls, superfood smoothies, sourdough sandwiches and protein balls, which reviewers pair with consistently friendly service from the owner-run team.

Getting there and parking

Penshurst Street carries street parking and nearby side-street spots, both tight at peak times, and several bus routes run along the street if you are leaving the car at home. Weekday mornings are the easiest window for an outdoor table before the gym crowd lands.

Close by with the dogs

Willoughby Park is a short walk for on-lead exercise, and the Unleashed Dog Exercise Area in Chatswood covers the off-lead session nearby. For other dog-friendly tables in the area, The Incinerator Café is the suburb's best-known, and Ray's Place sits a little further north.

More options are in the New South Wales dog friendly cafes guide and the Willoughby destination page.