Station Grind

Station Grind is a family-run cafe in the Mernda Town Centre at 180 Riverdale Boulevard, on the station side of the complex, open from 7am on weekdays and 8am Sundays. It is popular locally for generous breakfast plates, Italian-leaning pastries and a friendly welcome, and dogs sit with you in the outdoor seating.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating area, on a lead and settled beside the table, since Victorian food rules keep pets out of the two-level interior. Water bowls are put out for visiting dogs, though it is worth asking when you sit down if one has not landed yet.

The vibe

The kitchen is known for smashed avo with hollandaise, big schnitzels and hearty portions, with cannoli, vanilla slice and a solid chai latte covering the other end of the menu. It is a warm, family-feel cafe rather than a scene, and a fireplace inside keeps the humans happy through winter.

Pepsi: ask for the water bowl when you sit down, it is not always out on the table already.

Getting there

The cafe sits in the Mernda Town Centre next to Mernda station on the Hurstbridge line, with the centre's car park plus street parking around it. Arrive outside the weekend breakfast peak for an easy spot.

While you're out there

The fenced run at Creek Park Fenced Dog Park is a short drive away for a proper off-lead burn either side of coffee.

Appret Cafe over at Doreen is the other established dog-friendly breakfast stop in the same corner of Melbourne's north.

More options sit on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Mernda destination page.

Worth knowing

Kitchen service closes at 2pm, so go earlier if you want food rather than pastries and coffee, and the outdoor tables are the only dog-friendly ones.