Gretel Coffee Roasters

Gretel Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee spot on McLeod Road in Carrum, a short walk from both the station and the beach. Dogs are welcome out the front, and the roasters keep a jar of biscuits on hand for four-legged regulars, which tells you how often they come through.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the undercover section out front and at the outdoor pet-friendly tables. The undercover area is heated, which keeps it workable on cold Bayside mornings, and the biscuit jar is complimentary. Bring your own water bowl to be safe. Doors open early, from 5:30am on weekdays and 6am Sundays, running through to mid afternoon, so early dog walkers are well catered for.

Pepsi: biscuit from the jar, sun on the pavers, and the beach two streets away. Carrum runs on schedule.

Worth knowing

It is a roaster first, so the coffee is the draw, backed by a brunch menu that covers fritters, eggs benedict and a kids menu. Service gets consistently good wraps for being welcoming, and food presentation is a regular mention. Weekday early mornings suit a quiet dog; weekends fill with the post-beach crowd.

Getting there and parking

Find it on McLeod Road, an easy walk from Carrum Station. Street parking is available along McLeod Road and the surrounding residential blocks. The beach end of McLeod Road leads straight to the foreshore, so parking once and walking the dog to coffee is the natural loop.

Make a day of it

Pair the coffee with the Carrum Dog Beach on the foreshore, or bookend an off-leash session at the Roy Dore Reserve Fenced Dog Park with its double-gated entry and water taps. The Patterson River Loop adds a longer on-lead walk option, and The Kitchen Container is the other dog-friendly cafe nearby.

More options are on the VIC cafes list or in the Carrum guide.