THE 2 MEN CAFE - GEELONG

The 2 Men Cafe sits inside the Pakington Arcade at Shop 5-7, 129 Pakington Street, a step off Geelong West's main strip. It has built a following on Vietnamese-inspired coffee and toasted sandwiches, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating in the arcade and alleyway spaces.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs on lead settle at the outdoor arcade tables. The setting is snug and carries foot traffic from the strip, so it suits a relaxed dog that is happy sitting close to passing shoppers rather than a restless one. Bring your own water bowl, as none are guaranteed, and pick a table on the wider part of the arcade if you have a larger dog.

The vibe and the menu

The coffee list is the reason people come: the salted cream Vietnamese coffee, coconut ice coffee, a Fansipan topped with orange zest, traditional hot bac xiu and a strong shaken black ice. Food stays simple and good, with toasted sandwiches, bagels, sweet bakery treats and matcha or hojicha lattes for the non-coffee drinkers. Hours run from 7am midweek and around 8am on weekends to mid-afternoon, but the cafe shuts across the start of the week, so check before a Monday or Tuesday visit.

Getting there and parking

The arcade opens straight onto Pakington Street. Street parking along the strip can be tight on weekdays, so allow a lap or use the side streets either side.

Close by with the dogs

Pakington Street is one of Geelong's better on-lead strolls, lined with dog-friendly outdoor tables, including Two Sisters Cafe and Sodi Cafe further along the strip. For off-lead time, the City of Greater Geelong designates Rotary Centennial Park at 188A West Fyans Street in Newtown as a full-time supervised off-leash area, and Frier Reserve allows off-lead play on the ovals when no sport is running, both a short drive south.

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