The Incinerator Café

The Incinerator Cafe is set inside a striking 1930s waste incinerator designed by Walter Burley Griffin, one of the Lower North Shore's quirkiest heritage buildings, and the outdoor terrace wrapped around it is a genuine dog spot. It sits at 2 Small Street, Willoughby, right beside Willoughby Leisure Centre and Bicentennial Reserve, which makes it the natural coffee stop on the local dog-walking circuit.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on the large outdoor terrace, where water bowls are provided and the staff are well practised with four-legged regulars. Keep your dog leashed and settled beside the table. Indoor seating is a case of asking on arrival rather than assuming, so plan on the terrace. There is no fee and no booking needed for outdoor tables on weekdays.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen covers the brunch classics: bacon and egg rolls, hash browns, shakshuka, eggs benedict and French toast, with coffee to match. The building alone is worth the trip, with its layered brick geometry and industrial scale. Weekend brunch peaks are busy, and the shared car park tightens up whenever sport is running at the leisure centre.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is at 2 Small Street, Willoughby, with a car park shared with Willoughby Leisure Centre right outside. Street parking is available on surrounding streets, and it is a short walk from Chatswood if you are coming by train.

Close by with the dogs

The Flat Rock Gully walk starts nearby for an on-lead bush loop, and the Unleashed Dog Exercise Area in Chatswood is close for an off-lead run. If you want a second dog-friendly table, SOULPLATE on Penshurst Street welcomes pups outside. More options are on the Willoughby destination page and the NSW cafes list.

Weekday mornings are calm and pair perfectly with a Flat Rock Gully walk; weekends reward an early table before the brunch rush.