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Best Dog-Friendly Cafes in Brisbane Southside
Combine your weekend walk with a premium al fresco breakfast. Our curated picks for dog owners.
Let's be honest: the southside of Brisbane has historically punched below its weight in the brunch department. Not because there aren't good cafes — there are — but because the area's best spots tend to stay under the radar while the spotlight follows New Farm, Fortitude Valley and West End.
That's changing. The southside has quietly developed a strong specialty coffee culture and a growing number of cafes that take food seriously. And for those of us who live south of the river, that's exactly what we want to hear.
Here's our honest 2026 guide to the best brunch spots on Brisbane's southside — written from the perspective of people who know this part of the city well, and yes, who have a stake in it too. We'll tell you about us, and we'll tell you about others worth knowing.
"The southside's brunch scene has been quietly building for years. 2026 feels like the year it breaks through."
Local Food WriterWhat Makes a Great Southside Brunch Spot?
The best southside brunch cafes tend to share a few things: they're genuinely local in feel (not trying to be inner-city), they serve serious coffee, they have space — and increasingly, they have something distinctive about the setting or menu that makes them worth a deliberate trip rather than just a default.
Here is what we're judging on: food quality, coffee quality, setting, dietary options, and overall vibe.
The Best Brunch Spots on Brisbane's Southside in 2026
⭐ OUR PICK: Bliss on Riverside — Tennyson
We're going to put ourselves first on this list and explain why, because we think the reason matters. Bliss on Riverside is the only brunch cafe on Brisbane's southside sitting directly on the Brisbane River. That's not a small thing — it's the entire setting of the experience.
The outdoor riverside deck is genuinely beautiful: broad, airy, with an uninterrupted view across the water. On a clear Queensland morning, it's one of the best tables in the city, full stop. Combine that with a modern Australian brunch menu that changes seasonally, specialty single-origin coffee, and full dietary accommodations including gluten-free and vegan options, and you have a package that's hard to beat.
We also do private functions for up to 120 guests — birthday brunches, corporate breakfast events — with dedicated event coordination. That's unusual in this part of Brisbane.
📍 Address: 101/197 King Arthur Terrace, Tennyson QLD 4105
☕ Coffee: Specialty Single-Origin & Merlo Signature Blend
🌊 Atmosphere: Uninterrupted Brisbane River boardwalk views
2. River La Vie — Tennyson
Our close neighbour on King Arthur Terrace, River La Vie is a family-friendly, licensed cafe with a pleasant outdoor area. The menu features crowd-pleasing classics — eggs benedict, solid coffee, Belgian waffles. Perfect if you have kids and want a licensed bar options.
3. Todd & Pup — Yeerongpilly
Highly dog-welcoming and unpretentious in its local feel. Todd & Pup serves a reliable weekend menu. If you are starting or finishing a dog walk along Moorooka or Rocklea corridors, they'll greet your pup with water bowls and fresh treats.
4. Andonis Cafe & Bar — Yeerongpilly
Yeerongpilly's long-standing neighbourhood staple. Known for gigantic, indulgent breakfast plates and towering Belgian waffles. It has a high-energy bar-cafe feel rather than a quiet specialty roastery, but it's perfect for groups who want robust, hearty meals.
Venturing Beyond: Brunch Worth the Drive
If you're willing to go a bit further from the deep southside, the brunch options expand significantly.
West End: Boundaries, Vulture Street, and Davies Park are loaded with excellent micro-roasteries and avant-garde brunch menus. The West End markets on Saturdays offer an energetic food crawl. It is about a 20-minute drive from Tennyson — fantastic for a weekend swap, though less of a relaxed daily option.
South Bank Promenade: Offers scenic parkland walks by the water, though the dining options can skew a bit commercial and tourist-facing. For the best food, seek out the hidden alleys off the main boardwalk.
The Southside's Brunch Gap — and What's Filling It
One thing we've noticed is how much of the southside — from Moorooka south through Rocklea, Acacia Ridge, Sunnybank — is genuinely underserved for specialty coffee and serious brunch. These are large, growing suburbs with a professional demographic that increasingly wants what inner-city Brisbane takes for granted.
The cafes filling this gap are doing well. And the advantage of getting in early — as a cafe and as a customer — is that you build genuine neighbourhood loyalty rather than fighting for share in a saturated market.
🌊 Experience Riverside Dining in Tennyson
Come try the southside's best-kept brunch secret. Grab a table on our shaded deck and watch the Brisbane River drift by while enjoying single-origin espresso.
