MANO DELI

Mano Deli is a retro-style cafe and deli on the Shannon Avenue strip in Manifold Heights, and it has quietly become one of Geelong's most reliable dog-friendly brunch stops. The outdoor footpath tables take dogs, the kitchen takes sandwiches seriously, and the combination of the two makes it worth the trip from neighbouring suburbs.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the al fresco seating along the footpath out front, a mix of high-top and standard tables, and staff will usually bring water on request. As a food-service deli, dogs are not permitted inside, so scope out the outdoor tables before you queue at the counter. Footpath access is flat and easy, and free one to two hour parking sits directly out front on Shannon Avenue with more in the side streets.

The vibe

The menu is built around gourmet sandwiches and focaccias on Zeally Bay sourdough, with famously large portions: the beef brisket toastie, the tuna melt and an Iberian-style sandwich carry the reputation, and there is a muffin selection and milkshakes for the rest of the table. Coffee is genuinely good and the room is bustling rather than precious, with service that keeps the footpath tables turning. It runs 7:30am to 2:30pm weekdays and 8am to 2pm weekends, so weekday mornings are the quiet window before the Shannon Avenue strip fills up.

Close by with the dogs

For other dog-tolerant tables nearby, 63 Degrees in Geelong West and the Kardinia Cafe in Newtown are both established stops, and Skinny Dippers Cafe is another Newtown option. The Barwon River ovals at Queens Park operate as conditional off-leash areas when sport is not on, a short drive over Shannon Avenue.

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