Early birds cafe hastings

Early Birds Cafe is a bright, casual brunch spot at 20 Victoria Street in the heart of Hastings, a couple of streets back from the Western Port foreshore. It opens at 8am every day of the week, and the footpath seating out front takes dogs, which makes it a straightforward refuel on a Mornington Peninsula dog walk.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables and footpath seating out front, on-lead and seated with you. Water bowls are usually available or provided on request, so hydration is generally sorted, though a portable bowl is handy on hot days. Under Victorian food rules the inside dining area stays people-only. The footpath is flat and wide, which helps with a dog that needs a little space from passing prams.

Worth knowing

Reviewers rate the welcoming atmosphere, poached eggs, smoothies and fresh juices, with bacon that earns its own mentions and a cabinet of cakes and pastries. There is real menu variety for a small-strip cafe, and the value side of the ledger gets positive notes too. The name is the timetable: from 8am daily, with the morning service the busiest and the best for people-watching with a dog.

Getting there and parking

Victoria Street runs through the Hastings town centre, with plaza and off-street parking nearby and flat footpaths the whole way if you are walking the dog in. The foreshore is a short drive or a decent walk away.

Pair it with

The Hastings Foreshore Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is the natural pairing: run the dog on the sand first, then claim a footpath table. If you are back the next day, Steamin Mugs is another Hastings cafe that takes dogs outdoors.

More options are in the VIC dog friendly cafes guide and the Hastings destination page.

Max: do the foreshore first, cafe second. A dog that has already had its off-lead run will lie down happily at a footpath table while you work through the breakfast menu.