the coffee chief(Aspendale)

The Coffee Chief is a coffee cart on the Aspendale foreshore at Gnotuk Avenue, parked right by the sand on Port Phillip Bay. It is a favourite with beach dog walkers: wooden chairs face the water, and dogs are welcome on the lead right beside the cart. Hours are early and short, running 6am to 11:30am Tuesday to Friday and 6:30am to 11:30am on weekends, with Mondays off.

The dog setup

Everything here is outdoors on the foreshore, so there is no inside or outside split to worry about: dogs on leads settle beside the cart and the casual wooden seating looking over the beach. Staff are used to a steady stream of walkers coming off the sand, and the whole setup is a cart-and-chairs arrangement rather than a sit-down cafe, built around good coffee and the sea view.

The vibe

Mornings are the whole story here. Locals come down after sunrise for a coffee and a chat before the day starts, and the reviews lean on the same three things: the view, the barista and the easy beachside position. By late morning the crowd thins and the cart winds down, so it rewards an early start.

While you're out there

The beach sits directly in front, and the foreshore path runs along the bay toward Mordialloc and Parkdale for an on-lead walk either side of your coffee. Check Kingston City Council's current off-leash hours for the beach, which are restricted over summer. Free street parking runs along Gnotuk Avenue, and local residents can walk in easily off the bay trail. For a fenced run nearby, Iluka Reserve Fenced Dog Park is close, and Skinny Boy Jim is another local coffee option. More are under Victorian dog friendly cafes and the Aspendale guide.