WYM

WYM, short for Where You Meet, is the cafe tucked inside the Geelong Botanic Gardens at 200 Eastern Park Circuit, a fern-shaded spot for a coffee and toastie between laps of the gardens. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating on lead, with water bowls put out and puppacinos on the menu.

The dog setup

Dogs are allowed in WYM's outdoor seating only, not indoors, and they stay on lead both at the tables and through the surrounding gardens, which are an on-lead space throughout. Water bowls are set out for visiting dogs. The tables sit in the gardens' quieter Fern Glade corner, so there is room to settle away from the main path.

Worth knowing

The cafe pours Honeybird Coffee and sources bread from LaMadre Bakery, with coffee, pastries and simple lunch plates rather than a big menu. Hours run from 9am, closing at 3pm early in the week and 4:30pm from Wednesday on, which makes it a daytime stop. The garden setting feels calmer than a high street cafe.

Getting there and parking

Enter through the gardens' main gate at the corner of Podbury Drive and Eastern Park Circuit, then follow the path in. Free street parking runs along Eastern Park Circuit, and the paths from the gate are step-free.

Max: keep the lead short at the tables, the gardens are shared ground and weekends bring prams, runners and other dogs past the seating.

Make a day of it

The botanic gardens themselves give an easy on-lead loop right outside the door, and Eastern Beach Reserve is a short walk or drive for a longer stretch along the water. For a proper walk, the Barwon River trail is within reach. Other coffee stops include Pavilion and South America Coffee Co.

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