Pippa's Cafe

Pippa's Cafe is a family-run cafe at 545 Hampton Street in Melbourne's bayside Hampton, open seven days and pouring St Ali coffee. The cafe's own socials do the announcing for it: dogs are welcome on the outside patio, which makes it a natural stop mid-walk between Hampton Street and the beach a few minutes down the road.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the front footpath tables, and there is a rear courtyard out the back that is also pet-friendly, a quieter and more sheltered option when the street side is busy. Staff are attentive to dogs. Indoor seating is for humans only, so check the layout when you arrive and pick your spot accordingly.

The vibe and the menu

The topics locals keep raising are the toasties, the coffee and the backyard feel, with reviewers regularly naming the welcoming staff. It is casual breakfast and lunch rather than destination dining, which is exactly what you want at the end of a morning lead walk. Weekday service runs 7am to 2pm, with weekend sessions from 8am.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is a short walk from Hampton Station on the Sandringham line, and free street parking is usually available on Hampton Street and the side streets, subject to time limits. The beach and foreshore are a few minutes' walk down the street, with the Bay Trail close by for a longer loop.

Close by with the dogs

Pair breakfast with a run at R J Sillitoe Reserve Dog Off Leash Area or W L Simpson Reserve, both in Hampton. For a water finish, Sandringham Harbour Dog Beach is the next suburb up. If you are on a cafe crawl, Merrymen on Small Street is the suburb's other dog-friendly stand-out.

The wider list is on the Hampton destination page and in the VIC cafes index.