Jock + Mack

Jock + Mack is a busy modern-Australian brunch cafe at 31 Old Geelong Road in Hoppers Crossing, and a genuine fixture for local dog walkers. It is named after the owner's miniature schnauzers, and the dog welcome is real rather than nominal: the alfresco tables out front regularly host dogs, water bowls are looked after, and puppicinos make the odd appearance.

The dog setup

Bring the dog to the footpath and outdoor seating along Old Geelong Road. It is not an indoor arrangement, so pick a table where you can keep the lead short and the dog settled beside you. Staff are used to dogs and will sort a water bowl if you ask; on a warm day, aim for one of the shaded tables away from the car park edge.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen is the draw, with the beef brisket benedict, breakfast gnocchi and the Seoul sandwich pulling strong reviews, alongside chilli scramble, cinnamon scrolls and reliable coffee. Hours run 7:30am to 3pm on weekdays and 8am to 3pm Saturday, with no Sunday trade. Free street and off-street parking sits directly out front and on the side streets, and Saturday mornings get busy enough to mean a wait.

Pair it with

For off-lead time, Cambridge Reserve is the convenient local dog off-leash area, and the fully fenced run at Presidents Park in Wyndham Vale is a short drive west for a proper enclosed sprint. Morris and Heath is the other Hoppers Crossing cafe that suits a dog at the outdoor tables.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Hoppers Crossing destination page, with the state list in the VIC cafes index.