WoodHouse Cafe

WoodHouse Cafe sits at 170a High Street on the Belmont strip in Geelong, with dogs welcome in the courtyard tucked behind the main building. That rear position is the draw: it keeps you and the dog off the busy High Street footpath, so a nervous dog gets a calmer spot than the kerbside tables most cafes offer.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor courtyard, on lead and close to the table, and the courtyard fills quickly through the weekend brunch peak, so call ahead if you want to be sure of a dog-friendly table. Water bowls are usually out and staff are used to dogs coming through. Indoors is off-limits under standard Victorian food rules, so the courtyard is the whole plan.

Worth knowing

Breakfast and lunch run through the day from 7am to 3pm, with locally roasted coffee and a solid line of vegan options, vege jaffles and smashed avo among them. Eggs benedict, jaffles and the lemon meringue pancakes carry the regular mentions, and service moves quickly even when the room is full. The courtyard is compact, so it suits a dog happy to settle rather than a big mover.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along High Street but fills through the morning; the side streets nearby are the backup. Belmont sits just across the Barwon River from South Geelong, so the cafe folds easily into a river walk.

Close by with the dogs

The Barwon River tracks are a short stroll away for an on-lead walk before or after, and Belmont Dog Park is close by for off-lead time. Paddington Cafe is a second dog-welcoming spot on the same High Street strip, and Sweet Adeline on The Grange sits right on the river trail towards Newtown.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Belmont destination page.

Max: river walk first, courtyard table after. The tucked-away position behind the building is why this one works for dogs who hate traffic.