NearMeDog-friendly places in Parramatta
Last updatedParramatta's best dog outing is an early coffee at River Cafe, where dogs can sit at the outside tables, then a 4-minute walk to River Foreshore Reserve on the Parramatta River. Every park in these plans is on a lead, and dogs must stay 10 metres from playgrounds and barbecues. River Cafe opens at 6:15am every day.
A day with your dog in Parramatta
| Time | Where dogs can go |
|---|---|
| Before 7am, any day | River Cafe opens at 6:15am every day, with outside tables where dogs can sit. |
| Weekend mornings | Badmanner serves from 7am on Saturdays and 8am on Sundays, and closes at 2pm, so an early brunch suits a dog as well as an owner. |
| Weekday afternoons | Badmanner stays open until 3:30pm on weekdays, later than most of the dog-friendly cafes here. |
| Any hour | River Foreshore Reserve is open 24 hours, so a leashed walk along the river works at any time. |
| Sundays, by early afternoon | Most of the cafes with outside tables for dogs close by 2:30pm on Sundays, so plan the coffee before lunch. |
Dog-friendly breakfast on the river in Parramatta, then the foreshore walk
Start at River Cafe, a breakfast, brunch and lunch cafe on Church Street. It opens at 6:15am every day, and dogs can sit at the outside tables. From there it is a 4-minute walk to River Foreshore Reserve, a 24-hour riverside park on the Parramatta River with a district playground, water play and a long slide set into a grassy embankment. Dogs must stay on a lead and keep 10 metres from the playground and play equipment, so the walk follows the foreshore paths and keeps well clear of the play area. Walk back along the water when the dog has had its run. On weekends, the next plan starts with a run at David Frater Reserve, before brunch.
Dog-friendly weekend brunch on Horwood Place: a run at David Frater Reserve, then Badmanner
Start on the paths at David Frater Reserve, a 1.07-hectare community park with a children's playground, picnic areas and barbecues. Leashed dogs are welcome, and owners must keep their dogs under effective control, pick up after them and make sure each dog is microchipped and registered. From the park it is a 2-minute walk to Badmanner, a breakfast and brunch cafe on Horwood Place with a large menu and tables outside. The omelettes, with egg white or mushroom, are the dish to order. The run comes first, so the dog settles before the plates arrive. For a longer day, the next plan heads to Parramatta Park.
Dog-friendly long walk in Parramatta Park, then coffee at Good George
Parramatta Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the home of Old Government House, Australia's oldest surviving public building. Its walking and cycling paths include the 3.1 km People's Loop Trail and the 3 km Heritage & Riverside Loop, so a dog on lead can cover a good distance before stopping. Dogs must be leashed throughout. From the park, Good George is a 7-minute walk. It is a small, friendly cafe on O'Connell Street, best known for its coffee, and dogs sit at the outside tables after the walk. Next, a shorter walk to a heritage square on Church Street.
Dog-friendly heritage square and coffee: Prince Alfred Square, then Latte On The Rocks
Prince Alfred Square is one of the oldest public parks in NSW, established in 1869 to commemorate Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. Its heritage band rotunda dates from 1891, and the square is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register. Dogs must stay on a lead at all times, and small dogs are welcome on the same terms. From the square, Latte On The Rocks is a 2-minute walk. It is a relaxed cafe on Victoria Road with breakfast, brunch and lunch, and its outside tables sit in the sun, so this plan suits a cool morning. For a hot day, the next plan goes to the shade at Mays Hill.
Dog-friendly shade for a hot day: Mays Hill, then breakfast under the trees
Mays Hill is a community park on Franklin Street, best known for two synthetic tennis courts that can be booked. Its shaded picnic spots have tables and benches, and it has public toilets and drinking fountains, which makes it one of the hot-day options here, along with Ollie Webb Reserve. Dogs must stay on a lead at all times. The Shed Cafe & Catering is a 7-minute walk away, a leafy cafe on Macquarie Street with a covered patio that feels open to the trees. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating, and visitors praise the fish sandwich and the mushrooms on toast.
Dog rules in Parramatta: where dogs can't go
Every park listed here is on a lead, and none of them is a designated off-leash area. Dogs must be kept at least 10 metres from playgrounds, play equipment and food preparation areas such as barbecues. At Ollie Webb Reserve, dogs are not allowed inside the fenced playspace or the water play area either. Off-leash dogs in a place that is not designated can bring an on-the-spot fine of $330, and not picking up dog waste carries a $275 fine. Dogs must be registered and microchipped. Barnett Park in Winston Hills, Burlington Memorial Park in Northmead and Dan Mahoney Reserve in North Parramatta are designated off-leash areas, and Garside Park in Granville has a fully fenced off-leash area. Confirm with City of Parramatta Council before you go, as the areas and their rules can change. For cafes that suit a dog, see the best dog-friendly cafes in Parramatta.
Where these are in Parramatta
- Horwood Place: A run at David Frater Reserve, then brunch at Badmanner, a 2-minute walk away on Horwood Place.
- Church Street: A walk around Prince Alfred Square, then the outside tables at Latte On The Rocks, a 2-minute walk away.
- Mays Hill and Macquarie Street: Shade at Mays Hill, then a covered patio at The Shed Cafe & Catering, a 7-minute walk away.
- O'Connell Street: A quick coffee at Good George, where dogs can sit at the outside tables.
Every dog-friendly place in Parramatta
| Place | Type | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Queens Wharf Park | Park | On lead |
| Granville Waratah Scoccer Football Club | Park | On lead |
| Prince Alfred Square | Park | On lead |
| Bill Thompson Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Ollie Webb Reserve | Park | On lead |
| River Terrace | Park | On lead |
| Stewart Street Reserve | Park | On lead |
| First Light Horse Regiment NSW Lancers | Park | On lead |
| Mays Hill | Park | On lead |
| Foveaux Park | Park | On lead |
| Hambledon Cottage Reserve | Park | On lead |
| River Foreshore Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Parramatta Park | Park | On lead |
| Jubilee Park | Park | On lead |
| Robin Thomas Reserve | Park | On lead |
| David Frater Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Rotary Park | Park | On lead |
| Irving Street Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Jones Park | Park | On lead |
| Old Kings Parade Ground | Park | On lead |
| Burra Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Rangihou Reserve | Park | On lead |
| Badmanner | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Good George | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| The Shed Cafe & Catering | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Paper Plane Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| River Cafe | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| homage specialty coffee | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Toastmaker | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Circa | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Maison | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Latte On The Rocks | Cafe | Dogs outside |
| Lil Miss Collins | Cafe | Dogs outside |
FAQ
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Parramatta?
In Parramatta, none of the parks in these plans is an off-leash park, so dogs stay on a lead in each of them. The City of Parramatta's designated off-leash areas include Barnett Park in Winston Hills, Burlington Memorial Park in Northmead and Dan Mahoney Reserve in North Parramatta. Garside Park in Granville has a fully fenced off-leash area for a dog that needs a secure space, and George Kendall Riverside Park in Ermington has a fenced off-leash area too. Off-leash in a place that is not designated can bring a fine, so a dog that needs a proper run should go to one of those areas. Garside Park's fenced area lets a dog roam freely, which suits a dog that needs a longer run.
Is there a fenced dog park in Parramatta?
Parramatta has no fenced dog area among the parks in these plans, so a dog that needs a secure space has to travel a little further. Garside Park in Granville has a fully fenced off-leash area where dogs can roam freely. The fenced off-leash area at George Kendall Riverside Park in Ermington is another option for a dog that needs room to run without a lead. Both are outside these plans, so plan the route before you set out. Ollie Webb Reserve has a fenced playground, but dogs are not allowed inside it, so it is no substitute for a dog run.
What can I do with my dog in Parramatta this weekend?
A good weekend plan is a brunch on Horwood Place: a run at David Frater Reserve, then breakfast at Badmanner, a 2-minute walk away, where dogs sit at the outside tables. Badmanner is open from 7am on Saturdays and 8am on Sundays. For a longer day, a leashed walk through Parramatta Park, with its 3.1 km People's Loop Trail, finishes well with coffee at Good George, a 7-minute walk from the park. Good George is open from 6:30am every day, so the walk can start early. The dog stays on a lead on both routes, and keeps clear of the playgrounds.
Which cafes in Parramatta allow dogs?
Parramatta has eleven cafes that allow dogs, and all of them seat dogs at the outside tables only. Among them are River Cafe on Church Street, Badmanner and Paper Plane Cafe on Horwood Place, and Lil Miss Collins, a 2-minute walk from Jubilee Park. Circa, a brunch and lunch cafe with outside tables, is a 3-minute walk from the park too. Opening times vary, and most of them close by 2:30pm, so check the cafe before you go. Badmanner stays open until 3:30pm on weekdays, and Maison until 4pm, so both suit a later weekday lunch with a dog.
Where can I walk my dog and get a coffee in Parramatta?
Prince Alfred Square on Church Street is a short plan with a heritage park where dogs stay on a lead, then coffee at Latte On The Rocks, a 2-minute walk away. The cafe opens at 6:30am on weekdays and 7am on weekends, and closes at 2:30pm. Its menu covers breakfast, brunch and lunch, so the stop works for a coffee or a meal. Plan the walk before the sun gets high, because the cafe's outside tables sit in the sun. If the dog needs more room afterwards, Mays Hill is a 15-minute walk from the square, with shaded picnic spots and drinking fountains.
What can I do with my dog in Parramatta?
Every outing in Parramatta keeps the dog on a lead, and the plans cover the river, the parkland and the shade. River Cafe and River Foreshore Reserve make an early start by the river, while Parramatta Park and Good George suit a longer walk and a coffee. For a hot day, Mays Hill and The Shed Cafe & Catering offer shade and a covered patio. On a cool morning, Prince Alfred Square and Latte On The Rocks suit a heritage walk, and a Sunday brunch at Badmanner follows a run at David Frater Reserve.