NearMeDog-friendly places in Newtown
Last updatedThe best outing in Newtown with a dog is a run on the open grass at Hollis Park, then coffee at Hoochie Mamma Cafe, 5 minutes' walk away, from 7am on weekdays. Dogs can run at Hollis Park and Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area at any hour, but the cafes that take dogs close by 4pm.
A day with your dog in Newtown
| Time | Where dogs can go |
|---|---|
| Any time, any day | Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area and Hollis Park are off-leash at all times, so a run fits any hour. |
| Weekdays from 6:30am | Hoochie Mamma Cafe opens at 6:30am on weekdays and takes dogs at its outdoor tables until 4pm. |
| Weekends from 8am | Ariana's Place, Flour Drum and Hollis Park Cafe are all open by 8am at weekends, with outdoor tables that take dogs. |
| Designated times | The off-leash zones at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park are open only at designated times, as the council map shows. |
| After 4pm, any day | The cafes that take dogs have closed by then, so the off-leash lawns at Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area and Hollis Park are the dog stop. |
Weekday mornings in Newtown: a run at Hollis Park, then coffee at Hoochie Mamma
Hollis Park in Newtown has an off-leash area on open grass, which City of Sydney rules make off-leash at all times, so a run fits before work. Because the grass has no fence, a dog that comes back when called suits this run best. From the park it is a 5-minute walk to Hoochie Mamma Cafe on Missenden Road, which opens at 6:30am on weekdays. Its covered outdoor area out the front takes dogs, and reviewers recommend the bacon and egg roll and the pastas. The weekend version starts with a longer run at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.
Weekend in Newtown: a big run at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, then brunch on King Street
Camperdown Memorial Rest Park in Newtown covers 3.41 hectares on Federation Road, with wide grassed areas for a long run. Its off-leash zones are marked, so a dog runs unleashed inside them. Water bubblers and drinking fountains are spread through the park. A 9-minute walk takes you to Ariana's Place on King Street, which takes dogs at its outdoor tables. It opens at 7am on Saturdays and 8am on Sundays, and its menu runs Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes alongside Australian breakfasts. Order the grilled pork chop rice or the ayam geprek, with a mango and passion fruit shake. For a shorter run on any day, the next plan starts at Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area.
Dog-friendly brunch in Newtown: a short lawn run, then Flour Drum on King Street
Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area in Newtown is a 600m² grassed area on Harold Street, close to Newtown Public School, and it is off-leash at all times. It is a short run, so it works as the first stop before breakfast. A 4-minute walk takes you to Flour Drum at 531 King Street, which opens at 8am and closes at 4pm every day. Dogs are allowed at the outside tables, and the leafy side courtyard is the place to sit. Visitors single out the pancakes and the silverbeet, dill and feta filo pie, and the service stays quick even when the room is busy. On a hot day, the plan after this starts with coffee instead.
Shady coffee in Newtown for a hot day: Hollis Park Cafe, then a run at Hollis Park
On a hot day, Hollis Park Cafe on Wilson Street comes first, with tables out front under the street trees, and dogs are welcome there. It opens at 7am on weekdays and 8am at weekends, and it closes at 3pm. Visitors rate the coffee highly, so start there, and the chicken wrap or a takeaway sandwich makes an easy order for the walk. A 1-minute walk takes you to Hollis Park, where dogs can run on the off-leash grass at any hour. The rules are next, and they differ from park to park.
Dog rules in Newtown: where dogs can't go
Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area and Hollis Park are both off-leash at all times, and City of Sydney manages both. Camperdown Memorial Rest Park is managed by Inner West Council. Its off-leash dog exercise is limited to designated areas and designated times, and the council's map shows which sections are on-leash and which are off-leash.
The cafes here allow dogs at their outdoor tables only, so a dog stays outside with its owner.
Hollis Park's grass is unfenced and opens onto Wilson Street and the surrounding roads, so keep a dog close to the road. Owners clean up after dogs at Camperdown, and Hollis Park provides poo bags.
Confirm the hours and zones with City of Sydney and Inner West Council before you go. For more places, see dog-friendly cafes in Newtown.
Where these are in Newtown
- Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area: A small off-leash grassed area, with Flour Drum 4 minutes' walk away on King Street and Mrs Underwood on Alice Street.
- Hollis Park: Off-leash open grass with three cafes within a 5-minute walk, on Wilson Street, King Street and Missenden Road.
- Camperdown Memorial Rest Park: Wide grassed zones for a long run, with Soulmate Coffee on Phillip Street a 7-minute walk away.
Every dog-friendly place in Newtown
| Place | Type | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area | Park | Off-leash area |
| Hollis Park | Park | Off-leash area |
| Camperdown Memorial Rest Park | Park | Off-leash area |
| Cordial Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Ariana's Place | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Hollis Park Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Hoochie Mamma Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Pastizzi Cafe - North King Street | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Enmore Blend | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| SOUL BREW | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| END Of KING | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Flour Drum | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Soulmate Coffee | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Mrs Underwood | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Corellis Cafe Gallery | Cafe | Dogs outside |
FAQ
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Newtown?
Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area and Hollis Park both allow dogs off-leash at all times, and both are managed by City of Sydney. Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area is a 600m² grassed area on Harold Street, close to Newtown Public School, and its off-leash status covers the whole rest area. Hollis Park's off-leash area is on its open grass, outside the fenced playground. Camperdown Memorial Rest Park on Federation Road covers 3.41 hectares, and its off-leash dog exercise takes place in marked zones at designated times, so a dog runs unleashed only inside those zones.
Is there a fenced dog park in Newtown?
No fenced dog run is listed for Newtown. Hollis Park's dog area is open grass without a fence, and its only fenced space is the playground, which has slides, swings and a climbing hill. Camperdown Memorial Rest Park also has a fenced, gated playground with climbing equipment and a sand pit, but its off-leash zones are shown on a council map, so check it before you go. Only the playground at Hollis Park is fenced, and dogs run on the grass outside it. Owners at Camperdown are expected to clean up after their dogs, so bring bags there.
What can I do with my dog in Newtown this weekend?
Newtown's best weekend outing with a dog starts with a big run at Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, which covers 3.41 hectares on Federation Road, then brunch 9 minutes away at Ariana's Place on King Street. Ariana's Place opens at 7am on Saturdays and 8am on Sundays, and it has outdoor tables that take dogs. If the weather is hot, reverse the order: Hollis Park Cafe opens at 8am on weekends, with tables under the street trees, and the off-leash grass at Hollis Park is one minute away. For a short run and brunch, Flour Drum on King Street opens at 8am every day and sits 4 minutes from Mrs Isabella Hill Rest Area.
Which cafes in Newtown allow dogs?
Six cafes near the dog stops welcome dogs at their outdoor tables: Ariana's Place, Hollis Park Cafe, Hoochie Mamma Cafe, Flour Drum, Soulmate Coffee and Mrs Underwood. Dogs stay outside at all six, so they can sit beside their owner at the tables but never inside. Hoochie Mamma Cafe is the earliest, opening at 6:30am on weekdays, while Flour Drum and Hollis Park Cafe open at 8am on weekends and close by 4pm. Mrs Underwood on Alice Street keeps shorter hours, open from 7am to 2pm from Tuesday to Saturday, so check its days before heading there.
Where can I walk my dog and get a coffee in Newtown?
Hollis Park Cafe on Wilson Street is a 1-minute walk from Hollis Park, the shortest walk between a park and a dog-friendly cafe in Newtown. Its tables out front sit under street trees, and it suits brunch and good coffee with friendly service. Ariana's Place on King Street is a 2-minute walk from the same park, and Hoochie Mamma Cafe is a 5-minute walk, so one off-leash run can lead to three cafes. For a bigger lawn, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park covers 3.41 hectares and is a 9-minute walk from Ariana's Place.