The five best dog cafes

Our top picks for the best ‘bring your own dog’ cafes.

1. Cornwall Park Cafe, One Tree Hill Domain

The cafe itself sports water dishes for pups, outdoor tables and staff even bring out bean bags on a sunny day. Your pooch can chill in the shade of the tables while you take your time and enjoy a delicious brunch with friends or family.

2. Garden Shed Cafe, Mt Eden Village

It has plenty of outdoor seating, great to tie the dog lead to, and undercover courtyard seating out back for sheltered doggy dining. The cafe by day, bar by night may be famous for its gratuitous burgers and super-charged smoothies, but we think its dogfriendliness might just be the best thing about it.

3. Ponsonby Central, Ponsonby

This trendy haunt is a great place for canine spotting especially for the ’designer dogs’ of the pug or French bulldog persuasion. The owners have six rescue dogs of mixed breeds that frequent the office and are a regular sight around the laneways of the establishment.

4. Buoy Cafe - Westhaven The cafe opened in July and has a big outdoor seating area with ever-refreshed water bowls. The location, at the base of the Auckland Harbour Bridge overlooking the Waitemata Harbour, is great for those already out walking with their dogs along the Westhaven waterfront area.

5. Little & Friday - Belmont Pick a seat out front or in the gorgeous back yard garden and soak up the sun with a raspberry cream doughnut. The back garden is off-leash and boasts dog bowls and enough space for your pup to run around.