Bridge 2 Eden Cafe

Bridge 2 Eden Cafe is a made-from-scratch neighbourhood cafe on the main strip in Hurstbridge, well known locally for welcoming dogs into its open courtyard. It is a solid coffee stop before or after a walk along Diamond Creek, and Nillumbik Council lists it among the area's dining options for exactly that kind of outing.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor courtyard and seating area, but not inside the dining room. Staff are known to bring out water bowls and the odd treat, and there is no fee for bringing a dog along. Keep them leashed and close so staff and other patrons can move through the courtyard freely, and park them out of the walkway when the breakfast rush is on.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen does everything in house: eggs benny, Turkish bread rolls and a generous sweet potato tart are the recurring mentions, with friendly, attentive service behind them. Hours run from 6:30am on weekdays to 2:30pm and 8am to 1:30pm Saturday, closed Sundays, so it is a breakfast-and-lunch proposition. The cafe sits a short walk from Hurstbridge Station on the Hurstbridge line, with free street parking along the main strip and side carparks nearby when the morning market crowd is in town.

While you're out there

The off-lead option is Hurstbridge Dog Park in Ferguson's Paddock, with a double-gated entry and a water tank, a short drive away. The Diamond Creek Trail gives an on-lead walk from town, and for another coffee in the village Black Vice Coffee Roasters and WILD WOMBAT Cafe both keep dog-friendly outdoor space.

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