Plane Tree Cafe

Plane Tree Cafe occupies a historic courtyard on Ocean Street in Woollahra, a quiet village pocket between Edgecliff and Centennial Park. The courtyard dates back to the 1850s, and the cafe built around it has become one of the more dependable dog-friendly brunch stops in Sydney's east.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the courtyard tables, and this is the part of the cafe that carries the experience: shaded, enclosed and leafy, with water bowls put out for four-legged regulars. Morning walkers from the surrounding streets treat it as a standard stop, so your dog will have company. Indoor seating is people only, and on busy weekend mornings the courtyard fills first, so expect a short wait for an outdoor table rather than being seated inside.

Max: Water bowl arrived before the menu, which is exactly the order of operations I look for in a brunch venue.

The vibe

The kitchen does brunch classics: poached eggs on toast, mushroom toast, salads and a carrot cake that regulars circle back for. Coffee is treated seriously, and service is relaxed village style rather than fine dining. It closes Mondays, runs 7am to 3pm Tuesday to Saturday and opens at 7:30am on Sunday, so the courtyard is at its calmest mid-morning on weekdays.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits at 31 Ocean Street, Woollahra, an easy walk from Edgecliff station or a short detour off Oxford Street. Street parking on the surrounding residential streets is free with time limits, but it fills fast on weekend mornings, so arriving before the brunch rush makes the difference. Most visitors on foot arrive via the parklands, which makes the dog leg of the trip simple.

Make a day of it

Centennial Parklands starts a short walk east, and the Centennial Park Dog Exercise Area gives your dog a proper off-leash run before or after breakfast. The Busbys Pond and Duck Pond Loop makes an easy on-leash circuit past the waterbirds, and Railway Dog Park covers the southern side. If you are making a weekend of it, the Hughenden Hotel around the corner is a heritage stay worth checking for its pet arrangements.

More options are on our NSW dog-friendly cafes list and the Woollahra destination page.