La Bella Pasticceria Cafe

La Bella Pasticceria is an Italian-style cafe at Unit 10, 220 Chapel Road in Keysborough, built around a cabinet of cannoli, pastries and cakes rather than a big brunch menu. It is a morning-and-early-afternoon operation, open Thursday to Sunday, and dogs are welcome at the alfresco seating out the front.

The dog setup

Dogs settle with you at the outdoor alfresco tables, which suit a quiet coffee with a settled companion more than a sprawling brunch. Water bowls are sometimes put out but are not a standing fixture, so ask staff or bring a portable bowl. The complex is level and the entry is step-free, which also makes arrival and departure easy with a dog on lead.

Worth knowing

The draw is the Italian baking: ricotta cannoli that reviewers single out, panini for lunch, croissants and reliable morning coffee, with a special breakfast menu often running on weekends. Keep the days straight: Thursday and Friday run 7:30am to 2:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 2pm, and the cafe is closed Monday to Wednesday. It is worth a quick check of the Facebook page before a long drive, since pasticceria hours can shift with stock and season.

Getting there and parking

Chapel Road sits in the Keysborough commercial pocket, with free parking generally available on-site or in the surrounding complex. It is a drive-to cafe rather than a walk-in one for most visitors.

Make a day of it

For off-lead time before or after coffee, Tatterson Park Fenced Dog Park and Frederick Wachter Reserve Fenced Dog Park are both a short drive away and give the dog a proper run to earn the cannoli.

More picks are in the VIC dog friendly cafes guide and the Keysborough destination page.

Pepsi: closed Monday to Wednesday, so a midweek craving dies here. Thursday or Friday morning is the quiet window; weekends bring the special breakfast crowd.