My friend hates dogs. So I took him to a dog cafe

I didn’t choose the best companion for my dog-friendly eatery. The sheer idea of a canine being around my friend while he’s eating can spark a huge blow up. But somehow this Brisbane dog cafe managed to win his vote.

My friend hates dogs at cafes.

As an extreme germ-a-phobe, he can’t pat a pooch without washing his hands immediately afterwards and the sheer idea of a canine being around him when he’s eating can spark a blow-up bigger than a MAFS cheating scandal.

So perhaps it’s not the smartest idea on my behalf to take him to breakfast at dog-friendly cafe Todd & Pup in Moorooka, in Brisbane’s south.

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The name alone sends shivers up his spine, and as we approach the “astroturfed”, umbrella-shaded front deck and he spies two pooches obediently sitting beside their owners, he almost takes off faster than Scooby-Doo.

Convincing him to stay, we elect for a table inside where the only hounds present are on an expansive mural of Lady and the Tramp spray painted across one wall. With smiling, affable and well-trained staff taking care of our order, my friend soon feels comfortable and actually comments on how much he likes the fit-out.

Todd & Pup inside. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

The aesthetic is natural-industrial, with hanging plants (albeit artificial versions) and natural timbers softening hard-looking black banquettes, tables and metal stools. There’s even
a box of toys to keep kids entertained and a children’s menu offering $10 meals such as pancakes and ice cream, avo on toast and burgers, with a free activity pack.

This is what a suburban cafe should be – family-friendly, pet-friendly and in touch with what the locals want.

In fact, one look at the contemporary, all-day menu and my friend completely forgets about his phobia of the four-legged, furry kind.

Autumn Avo dish. Picture: Mark Cranitch

Dishes are all about taking the classics and turning them up a notch with everything from
a potato hash ($18), this one served with sun-dried tomato tapenade, olive crumb, poached eggs and feta, to waffles ($18) which are gingerbread-flavoured crowned with lemon myrtle ice cream, white chocolate glaze, cherries and lemon curd. Also available is the avo on sourdough with pickled persimmon ($18.50, pictured).

Burgers are also a star attraction, with four different types of cheeseburger, as well as two chicken burgs.

My friend’s “Original fried chicken” number ($16.50) sandwiches a piece of KFC-style crispy bird in between a gently toasted, slightly sweet milk bun with bacon, melting Swiss cheese, an oddly charcoal-hued sauce described on the menu as “peppered mayonnaise” and lettuce. With
a side of fries for $5, it hits all the criteria of a good burger: stable, golden bun that supports the filling and doesn’t let it escape, good mixture of textures, complementary flavours, and a bit of imagination to boot.

Ricotta coconut pancakes. Picture: Mark Cranitch

An on-trend poke bowl ($19) is like a lesson in Japanese condiments, with an extravagant amount of hoisin-marinated, just pink, cold beef joined by pickled ginger, ponzu-dressed daikon, sprouts, edamame, sweet pickled rice and Japanese mayo dusted with togarashi and sesame seeds. It’s bright and punchy, but so sizeable you’ll need a doggy bag.

A collection of house-made baked treats such as doughnuts, brownies, gluten-free slices and muffins as big as a chihuahua’s head are also available if you just fancy coming in for cake and a strong coffee made with Genovese beans. Or you can delve into the slightly more adventurous with the likes of a maple macadamia latte, Mexican spiced mocha or one of their Instagram-worthy loaded shakes. Smoothies, juices, cold drip coffee, tea and chai are also available, as are local beers from Newstead Brewing and Ballistic and an ever-changing array of wines.

If my mate can get over his fear of dining with dogs at Todd & Pup then it’s a cafe that is clearly doing something right.