Correction (4 October 2026): an earlier version of this page listed places and details we could not stand behind. It has been rewritten from scratch: every place below was confirmed at two independent sources on 4 October 2026, and every price was copied from the page it was published on.
Whether a walk is legal depends on the rules, so this guide puts the council status first. Seven places in Brunswick are listed: three council parks, then three cafes and a pub that say on their own sites or in AGFG that dogs are welcome.
For the parks, we report what the council record says and send you to the council order for off-leash times, because we will not guess them. For the venues, we quote what each one says about dogs and flag where it does not say whether dogs may come inside.
Every place was checked against at least two sources. Rules and hours change, so check the signage and the venue before you go. Bring bags.
The quick picks
| If you’re after | Head to | Order this | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fenced dog park | Gilpin Dog Park | see below | not printed here |
| Council off-lead park | Reaburn Reserve | see below | not printed here |
| Off-lead park with a skate park | Clifton Park | see below | not printed here |
| Dog friendly courtyard cafe | Lux Foundry Cafe | see below | not printed here |
| All day dog friendly cafe | Project 281 | see below | not printed here |
| Courtyard cafe with matcha | Sweet Evelyn | Iced Matcha | $6 |
| Pub that says very dog friendly | Retreat Hotel | see below | not printed here |
Gilpin Dog Park — 348-374 Albert Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: fenced. The council says an enclosed dog park opened at Gilpin Park in July 2018, fenced off with a dual access gate entry. The council lists it at 348-374 Albert Street. Per council, at off-leash dog parks you must still keep your dog under control.
Off-leash status: Enclosed dog park per the council, so the fence and gates do the work, but the control rule still applies.
Reaburn Reserve — 133A Hope Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: on the council’s list of off-leash dog parks. The council lists the reserve at 133A Hope Street. We could not find fencing, water or bin details in the record we read. For times, check the council order.
Off-leash status: Off-lead as listed by the council; check the council order for the times and the sign at the gate.
Clifton Park — 377 Albert Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: on the council’s list of off-leash dog parks. The council lists the park at 377 Albert Street and describes it as a recreational park with a synthetic surface, skate park, oval, pavillion and basketball half court, linked by pedestrian paths and a shared path. With that much going on, check the council order for which areas allow off-lead use.
Bring: A lead for the shared paths and bags, because we could not find which parts are off-lead.
Lux Foundry Cafe — 21 Hope Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: courtyard. Lux Foundry’s site says Cafe All day menu and dog friendly courtyard, and AGFG tags it Pet Friendly with Alfresco Dining. We could not find a statement on dogs inside. The site lists Saturday hours of 7:00am to 4:00pm, with the kitchen closing at 3:00pm on weekdays.
Inside or outside only: The courtyard is the stated dog space, so treat the indoor area as no dogs unless the cafe says otherwise.
Project 281 — 281 Albert Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: dog friendly cafe per its own site, which describes an all day menu and a dog friendly cafe. It does not say whether that covers indoors or only outside seating. The site lists weekday hours of 7am to 3pm and weekend hours of 8am to 3:15pm.
Inside or outside only: Not stated, so ask at the door before you bring the dog in.
Sweet Evelyn — 128 Union Street, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: courtyard. The site mentions an easygoing indoor area and a bright dog-friendly courtyard, and AGFG tags it Pet Friendly. The menu PDF prints Iced Matcha at $6 and Breakfast Smoothie at $10. Its site lists weekday hours of 6:30am to 3:00pm.
On the menu (copied from sweetevelyn.au on 4 October 2026):
- Iced Matcha: $6
- Japanese Matcha Latte: $6.70
- Breakfast Smoothie: $10
- Green Machine: $10
Inside or outside only: The dog-friendly wording attaches to the courtyard, not the indoor area.
Retreat Hotel — 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
Status: dog friendly per the pub’s own site, which calls the venue very dog friendly and mentions a huge beer garden. We could not find a line on dogs inside the pub. The site lists Friday and Saturday hours of 12PM to 3AM.
Bring: A lead and a quick call or message first, since the site does not separate the beer garden from the bar for dogs.
Quick answers
Where is the fenced dog park in Brunswick?
Gilpin Dog Park, listed by the council at 348-374 Albert Street. The council says the enclosed dog park opened at Gilpin Park in July 2018 and is fenced off with a dual access gate entry. The council also says you must still keep your dog under control there.
Which Brunswick cafes say they are dog friendly?
Lux Foundry Cafe’s site refers to a dog friendly courtyard, Project 281’s site calls itself a dog friendly cafe, and Sweet Evelyn’s site mentions a bright dog-friendly courtyard. Only the two courtyard statements name an area, so ask Project 281 whether dogs can come inside.
Can I take my dog to a pub in Brunswick?
Retreat Hotel’s own site says the venue is very dog friendly and mentions a huge beer garden. It does not say whether dogs may go inside, so check with the pub first.
Are there off-leash dog parks in Brunswick?
The council’s list of off-leash dog parks includes Reaburn Reserve and Clifton Park, and Gilpin Dog Park is a fenced enclosure. We could not find times in the records we read, so check the council order and the signs before letting a dog off the lead.
How we checked
We checked every place on this page against at least two independent sources on 4 October 2026: OpenStreetMap, council pages, the places’ own websites and the Australian Good Food Guide. Every price is copied exactly as printed on the page linked under Sources, on 4 October 2026. Menus, prices and opening hours change, so check with the venue before you go. The cover photo is illustrative, from Unsplash, and does not show any place on this page.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Gilpin Dog Park: openstreetmap.org/610917509, merri-bek.vic.gov.au/park-amenities, merri-bek.vic.gov.au/gilpin-park
- Reaburn Reserve: openstreetmap.org/4941389, geo.moreland.vic.gov.au/ows, merri-bek.vic.gov.au/reaburn-reserve, merri-bek.vic.gov.au/park-amenities
- Clifton Park: openstreetmap.org/4976483, geo.moreland.vic.gov.au/ows, merri-bek.vic.gov.au/clifton-park, merri-bek.vic.gov.au/park-amenities
- Lux Foundry Cafe: openstreetmap.org/1014043098, luxfoundry.com.au, agfg.com.au/lux-foundry-31747
- Project 281: openstreetmap.org/5938203254, project281.com
- Sweet Evelyn: openstreetmap.org/5754903318, sweetevelyn.au, agfg.com.au/sweet-evelyn-51744, sweetevelyn.au/Sweet_Evelyn_Cafe_Menu_reordered-12.pdf, sweetevelyn.au/about
- Retreat Hotel: openstreetmap.org/2097525260, retreathotelbrunswick.com.au, agfg.com.au/retreat-hotel-77429, retreathotelbrunswick.com.au/about
