Mimi's Pit Stop

Mimi's Pit Stop is an open-air coffee van parked on Mortimer Lewis Drive on the eastern shore of Lake Tuggeranong, right on the lakeside walking circuit. It exists for walkers, runners and cyclists, which makes it one of the easiest dog stops in the ACT: there is no indoor area at all, so dogs on lead are welcome by default across the paved space around the van.

The dog setup

All seating is outdoors on the flat paved area beside the lake path, with plenty of open room to settle a dog clear of passing bikes and runners. Water bowls are often out for thirsty dogs on the circuit, but bring your own just in case, especially in warmer months. The van trades weekends only, roughly 8am to 1pm (sometimes stretching towards 2pm in good weather), so plan it around a Saturday or Sunday morning walk.

The menu

The offer is simple and well rated: coffee hot and cold, specialty teas, seasonal winter warmers and quick light bites for breakfast or brunch. It is a breather stop rather than a meal destination, and the pull is the position on the lake circuit rather than a long menu.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along Mortimer Lewis Drive near the van, but the natural way to arrive is on foot along the lakeside path, which passes straight by the van's pitch on the lake's eastern side.

Close by with the dogs

The fenced Greenway Dog Park sits on the same road, with two separate enclosures for large and small dogs, water and shaded benches, so an off-lead run before or after coffee is easy to slot in. The lake circuit itself is an on-lead walk, and the Lake Tuggeranong Loop is the full circuit option. There is also a designated off-leash swimming spot on the lake's north-east side near Florence Taylor Street if your dog fancies a paddle. For a sit-down option afterwards, BrewBar Reed Street is one of the dog-friendly cafes in the Greenway town centre.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Greenway destination page, with the territory list in the ACT cafes index.