Caffe Romeo

Caffe Romeo is an Italian-style cafe at 319 Doncaster Road in Balwyn North, open early for coffee and closing mid afternoon, and dogs are welcome at its outdoor seating. It is a morning-first local: focaccias, tiramisu and proper Italian cakes, with the coffee machine running from 6am on weekdays.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcomed in the outdoor dining areas, which under Victorian food rules is where they stay; the inside of the cafe is people only. Staff have a friendly reputation and will usually sort out water on request, but carry a bowl on warm mornings when the footpath seats fill. If the outside tables are full, the team will tell you straight rather than squeeze you in.

The vibe and the menu

This is an Italian cafe through and through: fresh focaccias at the counter, tiramisu in the cabinet, and a roast that draws lunchtime regulars. Iced lattes travel out the door constantly on summer mornings. Hours run 6am to 2pm weekdays and 7am to 2pm Saturdays, and the cafe is closed Sundays, so plan a Saturday visit if the weekend is your only window.

Getting there and parking

Doncaster Road is the main arterial through Balwyn North and there is street and strip parking close by, with the Eastern Freeway a short drive south. Buses run along Doncaster Road for anyone coming from the city side, though most visitors arrive by car with the dog already aboard.

Close by with the dogs

For a run before the coffee, the Gordon Barnard Reserve fenced dog play area is the suburb's enclosed option, while Hislop Park and Macleay Park both give off-lead room a few minutes away. Lemongrass Chicken is the suburb's other listed dog-friendly eatery.

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