Salt n Pepa Cafe

Salt n Pepa Cafe is a relaxed, busy local on the Altona shopping strip at 57 Pier Street, a short walk from the bay. It is a straightforward dog-friendly stop for the footpath tables and a common refuel point either side of a foreshore walk.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on lead at the outdoor seating on the footpath out front. Staff have a friendly reputation with dogs and will bring out a water bowl. The footpath strip can get tight when the cafe is pumping, so a dog that settles under the table makes everyone's morning easier. No indoor access.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen is known for brunch, sandwiches and pastries, with the Maltese-style pastizzi the thing people cross town for. Gluten-free options are on the board and the coffee holds its own. Doors open early, from 5am on weekdays and 6am Saturday, closing at 3pm, and it is closed Sundays. Market days fill the strip, so come outside the weekend rush if you want a footpath table without a wait.

Getting there and parking

Pier Street runs through the middle of the Altona village strip. Street parking is available on Pier Street and nearby, though it turns over slowly at peak, and Altona station is an easy walk if you are coming by train.

Close by with the dogs

Altona's foreshore is the reason most dogs are in the suburb: the off-lead areas at Doug Grant Reserve and the fenced run at P A Burns Reserve are both minutes away, and the bay trail links them to the beach end of Pier Street. Bezirk Cafe on Millers Road is the other Altona dog-friendly anchor, with sidewalk tables and water bowls near the foreshore.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Altona destination page, with the wider list in the VIC cafes index.