Carter Lovett

Carter Lovett is a busy all-day cafe on the corner of Glen Huntly Road and St Georges Road in Elsternwick, and it makes the Bayside dog owners' list of eateries where dogs are genuinely welcome. It rates 4.6 from over 600 reviews, with the coffee and the cooking doing the heavy lifting.

The dog setup

Dogs join you at the undercover footpath tables out the front and the seating down the side of the building; inside is people-only. Staff will usually bring a water bowl, but bring your own on a hot day. Hours run 6am to 3:30pm daily, so the mid-morning weekday window gets you the calmest footpath table, and weekend brunch fills the street.

The food

The menu is modern Australian across breakfast and lunch: egg scrambles, eggs benedict, pancakes and the Cumberland sausage that gets name-checked in reviews, plus sardines for the adventurous and a chicken schnitzel lunch that regulars swear by. Portions run generous, the vegetarian dishes hold their own, and the Padre espresso keeps the coffee side credible. There is the occasional evening service too, so check the site if you are planning a dinner visit.

Getting there and the off-lead options

It sits at 329 Glen Huntly Road, a short walk from Elsternwick Station and on the Glen Huntly Road tram, with street parking competitive at peak times. For the off-lead run, the Elsternwick Park, Lakeside Green, Dog Off Leash Area is a few minutes south with wide open grass, and the Brighton Fenced Dog Park is the secure option. The Brighton Beach Dog Off Leash Area covers the sand-and-water morning.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Elsternwick destination page, with the state list in the VIC cafes index.