Willa Coffee Shop

Willa Coffee Shop sits at 17a High Street on Willunga's historic main strip, about 45 minutes south of Adelaide. It opens at 6am on weekdays, the garden courtyard out the back takes dogs, and the staff have a habit of bringing a water bowl out before you ask.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome across the outdoor seating: the back courtyard and the shaded front verandah along High Street. There is room under the tables for a dog to settle, and the team is relaxed about well-mannered regulars. Indoor seating is off limits apart from assistance dogs, and the courtyard fills quickly on weekend mornings, so an early arrival secures the best table for a larger dog.

Pepsi: Water bowl at the verandah, crumbs from a bacon bagel at floor level, and a patch of morning sun. Saturdays here are my favourite.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans into proper breakfast cooking: poached eggs, smashed avo, a mushroom toastie, crumpets and a bacon bagel that gets named by regulars as the pick. There is a chilli hot chocolate for cold Fleurieu mornings and rotating baked goods through the cabinet. Hours run 6am to 2pm on weekdays, 7am Saturdays and 8am Sundays, and they can shift seasonally, so check before a long drive out.

Getting there and parking

Willunga is reached via the Southern Expressway and Main South Road, with Willunga township at the end of the climb over the hill. Street parking runs along High Street and the side streets, mostly free, but Saturday mornings are swallowed by the Willunga Farmers Market crowd. On market days, park a few streets back and walk in with the dog, which is arguably the better way to arrive anyway.

Make a day of it

The Willunga Basin Trail loops the township through vineyards and almond groves, a good long walk before breakfast. Down the hill, Symonds Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Aldinga Beach gives an off-lead run, and Port Willy Kiosk handles coffee at the Port Willunga sand after a beach walk. For a second coffee option in town, Bean Loved is up the same street.

Browse more South Australia dog-friendly cafes or our Willunga guide for the rest of the town.