The Baithak

The Baithak is a late-night Indian street food and chai cafe at 41B North East Road, Collinswood, and it has become an institution for Adelaide's inner-north night owls. Vadapav, dabeli, samosa pav and thepla come out alongside masala chai that regulars rate among the city's best, with doors opening from 6pm and service running deep into the night most evenings. It is cheap, fast and genuinely Mumbai in flavour.

The dog setup

Unlike the daytime brunch cafes further down Prospect Road, The Baithak does not publish a pet policy, and its late-night, mostly indoor format on a busy arterial road means dogs are not an advertised part of the picture. The layout is compact and geared to quick counter service and social hangouts inside. If you are keen to bring a dog, call ahead on the night and ask, and be prepared to make it a takeaway run instead. The street food travels well, which is how most late-night orders leave anyway.

Max: late-night chai and a vadapav after an evening walk beats any cafe breakfast, as long as someone stays home with the dog.

Worth knowing

The chutneys carry the menu, and reviewers single out the bold, flavourful combinations across the street snacks. Hours run later than almost anything else in the area, though Monday closes earlier than the rest of the week, so check before planning a midnight run. It sits in a busy late-night precinct, so parking competition builds after 9pm.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on North East Road at Collinswood, moments from Prospect Road, with street parking along the strip and side streets. It is easily reached from Main North Road if you are coming from further out, and the inner-north location keeps it a short drive from the Adelaide parklands.

Close by with the dogs

For daytime dog-friendly tables in the same pocket, Frankly Bagels and The Upside on Prospect in neighbouring Prospect are the reliable picks with a dog on lead.

The area's options sit on the South Australian dog friendly restaurants guide and the Collinswood destination page.