Cafe Viana

Cafe Viana is an artisan bakery-cafe on Grant Road in Baxter, rated 4.7 and best known for chunky homemade pies, sourdough and a strong coffee. Unlike most cafes where dogs just get the footpath tables, it offers a fenced dog area and picnic space, which makes it one of the more practical dog stops on the peninsula's cafe circuit.

The dog setup

The cafe's own listing advertises a fenced dog area and picnic space alongside the regular outdoor seating, so a dog can have its own patch rather than sitting on a lead between tables. It is still worth confirming space with staff on busy weekends, and bringing your own water bowl. Indoor seating stays for people only.

Worth knowing

The bakery case is the draw: beef pies including the much-mentioned butter chicken pie, sourdough loaves, focaccia, fruit loaf and almond butter croissants among the daily bakes. The all-day breakfast and lunch menu covers the usual cafe plates, and there is a drive-thru option if the dog is wet or restless. Hours run 7am to 3pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 3pm Sunday, with mornings your best pick of the bakery case.

Getting there and parking

Cafe Viana sits at 139 Grant Road, Baxter, near the Golf Links Road end, with on-site parking out front, so the walk from the car with a dog is short.

Nearby with the dogs

Stornoway Drive Reserve Fenced Dog Park is the in-suburb option for a proper run, and Grant Road Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Somerville is close enough to combine into the one trip. If you are working up a cafe crawl, Pugs In Mugs at Somerville and Mitch & Co Cafe at Tyabb are the neighbouring stops on PawScapes.

Browse more dog-friendly cafes in Victoria or the Baxter destination guide.