Birdie Coffee Bar

Birdie Coffee Bar is a walk-up coffee window attached to the Birdie Hair salon in a laneway off Kolora Road, Heidelberg West. Look for the pink coffee sign rather than a shopfront: the address is FY 9/5 Kolora Road, in the laneway running between Kolora Road and Kylta Road. It is a low-key industrial-pocket find, and the takeaway format means your dog is part of the whole visit.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the laneway seating out front, and since there is no indoor dining at all, the entire visit is an outdoor one. Order at the window and settle at the tables with your dog beside you. It is a small operation, so bring your own water bowl rather than expecting one on site.

Worth knowing

The menu is coffee and a short list of toasties, plus healthier snacks like protein bars and cookies, with alternative milks, sticky chai and iced matcha among the drinks. While you wait you can browse the Australian-made hair and skincare range from the salon next door. Hours vary through the week, closing on Tuesdays and Sundays, so check opening times before you head over.

Getting there and parking

Free street parking is available on Kolora Road and Kylta Road, and the laneway entrance is a short walk from either.

Close by with the dogs

Malahang Reserve Fenced Dog Park is a short drive away for an off-lead run that rounds out the visit. If you want a sit-down table instead, Nice Guy Eddie Coffee + Kitchen and Crate Specialty Coffee in Heidelberg Heights both run dog-friendly outdoor areas, and Cafe Matto has covered footpath tables on Burgundy Street.

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

Max: walk-up windows are my kind of cafe. Nobody minds me at the counter, and the sooner the toastie lands the sooner we hit Malahang.