Interlude

Interlude is a container cafe at 272 Torquay Road, Grovedale, on the busy road out towards the surf coast. It started as a coffee van during the 2020 lockdowns and grew into a fixed local fixture, and the open-air seating around the container doubles as one of the more relaxed dog-friendly setups on the Geelong side of town.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the open-air seating around the container, which works like a casual courtyard. It sits close to Torquay Road traffic, so keep leads short and your dog settled near the table. The cafe goes a step further than most and stocks dog treats from Baked By Bree, though bringing your own water bowl is still the safe play.

Worth knowing

Gourmet toasties are the drawcard, including a four-cheese favourite, alongside smashed avocado, acai bowls and porridge for the colder mornings. Pastries come from the team's sister venue Charlie Bakery around the corner on Burdoo Drive, and the coffee is their own blend. Weekends bring a family crowd, so get in before 9am if you want an easy table with the dog.

Getting there and parking

Parking is limited around the container itself, with street options on the surrounding Grovedale blocks. It runs weekday mornings from 6am to 2pm and weekends 7:30am to 1:30pm, so this is a breakfast-and-lunch stop rather than an afternoon one.

Close by with the dogs

Burdoo Recreation Reserve off Burdoo Drive is the closest green space for an off-lead run, and Brearley Park Reserve Dog Park in Marshall is a short drive north for a dedicated fenced option. For another coffee with the dog, Afterglow Espresso in Waurn Ponds and Paddington Cafe in Belmont are both established dog-friendly stops.

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

Max: I can vouch for the Baked By Bree treats in the tub by the register. A short lead near the road and I will hold station until my toastie tax arrives.