JIJI’s

JIJI's is a high-rating cafe on Aberdeen Road in the heart of Macleod Village, with outdoor seating that looks across to the village green opposite. Dogs are welcome at the outside tables, and the staff have built a reputation for warm, dog-friendly service, sometimes with a treat for visiting dogs.

The dog setup

Dogs stay in the outdoor seating area, leashed and settled, because the tables get busy around breakfast. Bring your own water bowl in case one is not offered, and use the green space across Aberdeen Road for a pre-coffee run-around, which takes the edge off a dog who has been in the car.

The vibe

The room is clean and rustic with exposed brick, and the cabinet is the reason for the queue: pistachio croissants, cannoli, homemade sausage rolls, salmon panini, arancini and frittata, backed by coffee people actually come back for. The chef's involvement in what goes out is part of the draw. It runs 6:30am to 2pm weekdays and 7am to 2pm Saturday, and closes Sundays, so check before a weekend trip.

Getting there and parking

Free street parking runs along Aberdeen Road and the side streets, and the cafe is an easy walk from Macleod railway station if you are arriving by train. Weekday mornings are calmer than the Saturday breakfast rush.

Close by with the dogs

For a bigger off-lead session, Watsonia Dog Park is a few minutes up the road and the Bundoora Park Fenced Dog Park is a short drive east. The rest of the Macleod Village strip is an easy on-leash wander, and Touchstone Cafe and Hey Sunshine Cafe are other stops in the village.

More options are listed in the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and on the Macleod destination page.