Melbourne's Best Dog-Friendly Bars, Cafes and Restaurants
All of your friends — most importantly, those furry ones with four legs — are welcome at these pet-friendly food and drink haunts.
An afternoon enjoyed kicking back in a big Melbourne beer garden with your mates is most definitely an afternoon well spent. There will be laughs, possibly a few jugs or bottles emptied, some good food and (hopefully) a sliver of sunshine. But the most important thing is spending time with your buddies — all of your buddies. You wouldn't leave Dave at home would you? Or Sarah? Think how devastated they'd be if they found out you hadn't invited them.
Your best friend — aka human's best friend — would also get seriously hurt feelings if left at home, so the trick is to choose a venue where Rover is welcome, grab him a dish of water and let him join in the fun. With a couple of chippies snuck under the table, of course.
Here are Melbourne's best dog-friendly restaurants, bars and cafes — each happy to have furry guests along in some or all of their spaces. Some of them even have dedicated canine menus, dedicated dog Instagram accounts or doggy merch.
Recommended reads:
The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia
The Best Restaurants in Melbourne
The Best Bars in Melbourne
The Best Pubs in Melbourne
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BarHotel Mexico
238 Whitehall Street, Yarraville
Hotel Mexico is Yarraville's huge group hang spot that's made for margarita-fuelled sessions.
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BarBendigo Hotel Collingwood
125 Johnston Street, Collingwood
Collingwood's legendary live music pub The Bendigo Hotel is back in action thanks to The Mill Brewery Crew.
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CafeLittle Molli
66 Nicholson Street, Abbotsford
Abbotsford's new all-day deli Little Molli comes from the minds behind some of Melbourne's best cafes, bars and restaurants.
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The Courthouse
86-90 Errol Street, North Melbourne
The Courthouse Hotel is officially back open for business following a stunning restoration and refurbishment project by four hospo pros.
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BarMoon Dog Wild West
54 Hopkins Street, Footscray
Make your way through the swinging saloon doors to find bucking bulls, arcade games, pool tables, a dog-friendly rooftop, and food and drinks aplenty.
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RestaurantD.O.C St Kilda
14-16 The Esplanade, St Kilda
The latest seaside site by D.O.C is a prime spot for sharing a seafood pizza while overlooking the water.
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CafeSmall Batch Roasting Co.
3-9 Little Howard Street, North Melbourne
This coffee paradise comes from the original founder of North Melbourne's Auction Rooms.
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BarEdinburgh Castle Hotel
681 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Brunswick's longest standing pub boasts a huge beer garden, gastro pub food and extensive craft beer list.
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PubTerminus Hotel Fitzroy North
492 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North
Find your classic pub vibes in the beer garden and public bar, or head to its restaurant for a classier affair.
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CafeThe Terrace Cafe
Anderson Street, South Yarra
This iconic garden cafe has entered a new phase of life as one of the city's leafiest brunch spots.
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BarTrinity St Kilda
2 Brighton Road, St Kilda
This bar, beer garden and food truck park makes its home in a historic former church hall.
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BarTown Hall Hotel
33 Errol Street, North Melbourne
A classic neighbourhood pub with a secret beer garden hidden out back.
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BarTerminus Hotel
605 Victoria Street, Abbotsford
The Abbotsford pub sports a classy revamp but maintains the things that matter most: beer, bingo and counter meals.
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CafeUncle Drew
23 Groom Street, Clifton Hill
A true neighbourhood gem known for its creative cafe fare, quality coffee and ever friendly vibe.
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CafeRudimentary
16-20 Leeds Street, Footscray
A cafe made from disused shipping containers in an abandoned car park.
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BarCollege Lawn Hotel
36 Greville Street, Prahran
Relax on the astroturf and enjoy cheap pub grub along with ice-cold beers at this no-frills local.
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CafeThe Old Garage
2A Glen Iris Road, Camberwell
A supremely dog-friendly cafe, with puppychinos aplenty and a vegan alternative for every dish on the menu.
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BarPilgrim Bar
15-19 Federation Wharf, Melbourne
Sip gin tea cocktails at a waterfront venue in the heart of Melbourne's CBD.
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BarWelcome to Thornbury
520 High Street, Northcote
A permanent food truck park boasting a rotating menu of street food snacks.
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BarJamsheed Wines
4 Albert Street, Preston
This two-storey dive bar and urban winery is located in Preston.
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BarMoon Dog World
32 Chifley Drive, Preston
This giant, very OTT brewery bar in Preston is like a boozy theme park you'll never want to leave.
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PubThe Palace Hotel
505-507 City Road, South Melbourne
This South Melbourne pub has an impressive list of craft brews.
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BarThe Great Northern Hotel
644 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North
A pub for pub-lovers in Carlton North.
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BarNewmarket Hotel
34 Inkerman Street, St Kilda
Great pub fare, exciting architecture and a dedicated gig space — the Newmarket is a triple threat.
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CafeThe Commons at Ormond Collective
Corner Moubray Street And St Kilda Road, Melbourne
This four-in-one St Kilda Road venue has a huge beer garden.
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BarBonehead Brewing
86 Parsons Street, Kensington
A dog-friendly brewery known for its diverse tap list and colourful wall murals.
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BarWestside Ale Works
36 Alfred Street, South Melbourne
A cosy laneway brewpub with big love for American-style beers.
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BarNice Guys Brewery and Bar
306 Victoria Street, Richmond
A retrofuturistic brew bar with 25 taps and a leafy, heated beer garden.
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BarWelcome to Brunswick
1 Frith Street, Brunswick
The inner north's fairy-lit, dog-friendly food truck park and beer garden.
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BarThe Retreat Hotel
226 Nicholson Street, Abbotsford
This dog-friendly pub has craft beer on tap, a pool table and serves up a belly-warming roast every Sunday.
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BarMolly Rose Brewery
279 Wellington Street, Collingwood
Try a diverse range of house brews and even some cheeky beer cocktails at this cosy Collingwood spot.
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RestaurantHello Sam
760 Chapel Street, South Yarra
Hefty American-style burgers, a decent vegan offering and handmade choc tops.
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BarKaiju Cantina
27 Hume Street, Huntingdale
The first-ever beer hall and brewpub from award-winning brewery Kaiju is a colourful warehouse site boasting 16 taps and a cracking pizza menu.
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CafeMajor Mitchell
122 Grange Road, Carnegie
Come for the very, very pink interior, stay for the wide food selection and alluring cocktail list.
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CafeHector's Deli
94 Buckingham Street, Richmond
The kitchen's take on the classic chicken sanga features the largest crumbed schnitzel known to man. Well, maybe not, but it's still pretty damn epic.
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BarLeonard's House of Love
3 Wilson Street, South Yarra
Drink tinnies, down burgers, dance and play pool in Leonard's lounge room-like bar.
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PubMarquis of Lorne
411 George Street, Fitzroy
Drink down on the street, dine at the second floor restaurant or soak up some rays on the rooftop.
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BarThe Standard Hotel
293 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy
The bar offers a comforting retro vibe while huge beer garden is a breezy little oasis that's well worth the search.
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BarArbory Bar & Eatery
Flinders Walk, Melbourne
With great views and even better food, this is one platform you won't mind getting delayed on.
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CafeBrighton Schoolhouse
15 St Andrews Street, Brighton
Brighton's new school of choice is earning gold stars aplenty.
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BarBodriggy Brewing Company
245 Johnston Street, Abbotsford
This 400-person brewpub in a former mechanics warehouse is home to a stack of beers on tap and a bottle shop is on the way.
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BarLulie Tavern
225 Johnston Street, Abbotsford
Abbotsford's no-frills neighbourhood warehouse bar.
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BarThe Tipsy Cow Malt & Vine Co.
359 Bay Street, Port Melbourne
A neighbourhood bar that loves whisky and dogs.
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BarThe Silverlake Social
198 Chapel Street, Prahran
A Prahran bar sporting a pool table, Buffalo wings and an extensive back bar of hard-to-find American booze.
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BarThe Rose Fitzroy
406 Napier Street, Fitzroy
The Fitzroy mainstay has a new lick of paint and an upstairs wine bar.
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BarLittle Creatures Geelong Brewery
Corner Fyans And Swanston Streets, Geelong
This Fremantle-born brewery's east coast home features three bars and lots of booze.
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BarThe Rainbow Hotel
27 Saint David Street, Fitzroy
Toast your outsides by the fireplace, while warming your insides with any of 100 different beers.
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BarSwan Hotel
425 Church Street, Richmond
Glide in and grab a pint or dance away the night in this classic Richmond bar.
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BarOh Loretta
324 High Street, Northcote
A Northcote wine bar with fun snacks and a dog-friendly courtyard.
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BarFlatiron Side Door
72 Willsmere Road, Kew
This charming wine bar and garden is a home away from home for Kew locals.
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BarThe Ascot Lot
448-462 Mount Alexander Road, Ascot Vale
A beer garden, drinking hall and food truck stop for north west locals — and their dogs.
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BarThe Vale Bar & Eatery
169 Union Road, Ascot Vale
A cosy Ascot Vale local with a strong selection of pizzas and 150 wines.
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BarRed Hill Brewery
88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South
The Mornington Peninsula's home of beer and barbecue.
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BarThe Carringbush Hotel
228 Langridge Street, Abbotsford
This 130-year-old pub is now slinging meat-free meals, wine on tap and more than 21 beers.
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BarBridge Road Brewers
50 Ford Street, Beechworth
This award-winning brewery is worth the road trip to Beechworth — for both its beer and its pretzels.
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RestaurantChotto Motto
287 Wellington Street, Collingwood
A gyoza and beer bar inside an art-covered Collingwood building.
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BarRochford Wines
878-880 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream
One of the Yarra Valley's best-known wineries features a lakeside cellar door and top-quality pizza.
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BarThe Shady Lady
36 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
Make yourself at home at this dark but glittering dive bar on Johnston Street.
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BarBright Brewery
121 Great Alpine Road, Bright
This out of town brewery has a 24-tap selection and a big outdoor terrace nestled in the mountains.
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BarDal Zotto Wines
4861 Wangaratta–Whitfield Road, Whitfield
You go-to for pizza and prosecco in the King Valley.
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BarThe Local Taphouse St Kilda
184 Carlisle Street, St Kilda East
This Carlisle Street institution boasts 19 taps, two fireplaces and a sun-soaked rooftop.
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CafeCornershop
11 Ballarat Street, Yarraville
This corner cafe has become a Yarraville institution.
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CafeA Minor Place
103 Albion Street, Brunswick
An unassuming cafe with some of the best haloumi in the north.
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CafeSecond Wife
8 Wellington Road, Box Hill
This eastern suburbs cafe serves great coffee and healthy, vibrant meals.
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BarMiss Moses
581 Sydney Road, Brunswick
Miss Moses is where you come when you want to sink a sour, dig into a greasy, hangover-busting sanga and spend time with your four-legged friend.
