Food Shack Cafe & Foodshack Pizzeria

Food Shack Cafe & Foodshack Pizzeria runs out of an older house-style building at 71 Powells Ave, East Bendigo, and for dog owners the front verandah is the whole show. It is a well-regarded local breakfast and lunch spot that turns into a pizzeria after dark, with outdoor seating where a leashed dog can settle beside the table.

The dog setup

Dogs join you on the front verandah and exterior seating, keeping things compliant with indoor food rules; the indoor dining room is humans only. There is no confirmed water bowl service, so pack water and a travel bowl. Keep your dog leashed and settled, since the verandah is a working service area at busy times.

The menu

The kitchen's reputation rests on generous cafe fare: steak sandwich, bacon and egg roll, eggs benedict, a brisket burger and crispy chips all get singled out by reviewers. From Tuesday the kitchen also runs evening pizzeria sessions, and the venue operates its own delivery service, which suits a night when you would rather eat at the park bench down the road with the dog.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on Powells Ave in East Bendigo, a few minutes east of the city centre, with parking in the surrounding streets that reviewers describe as easy. Cafe hours run roughly 7am to 2pm on weekdays, with the evening sessions from about 4pm, so confirm timing for the meal you are planning.

Close by with the dogs

For a leg-stretch around your meal, Harcourt Dog Park at Strathdale is the nearest fenced off-leash option, and Bendigo's creekside trails suit a longer on-lead walk. If the verandah is full, The Golden Bean is another city cafe option, and Old Boundary Hotel covers the pub lunch.

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

Max: call ahead if the verandah matters. Two people and a dog on a Sunday morning is peak competition time.