Uncle Tony

Uncle Tony works the corner of Eaton Mall in Oakleigh, and the queue that forms outside on Saturday mornings tells most of the story. This is a sandwich shop first: pastrami piled high, tuna melts, and a beef pastrami toastie that has become the order people photograph. It is also a genuinely pleasant place to sit outside with a dog, because the mall's street side tables put you in the middle of the Greek precinct action.

Dogs on the mall

Per the Google listing, dogs join owners at the outdoor street side seating in Eaton Mall, and the venue site carries no written policy either way, so treat this as reported practice. The mall setup works in a dog's favour: tables sit off the pedestrian flow, the strip is fully paved, and the atmosphere stays casual even at peak times. Keep the leash short during the breakfast rush and your dog will have company, since Eaton Mall's other cafes draw their own canine regulars.

The kitchen runs Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 2:30pm and Saturday 8am to 3pm, with Sunday closed, so Saturday is the day for a dog walk plus a toastie. Matcha in several forms, including iced, covers the non coffee drinkers, and the menu is halal, which widens who can eat here. The welcoming atmosphere shows up consistently in visitor feedback and it extends to the footpath tables.

While you're out there

Oakleigh's eating strip runs deep. For another meal stop with the dog, Omurice House and SAINT NIC both sit within the same few blocks, and Scotchmans Run Reserve Dog Off Leash Area gives the dog a run before you queue. The Oakleigh guide and the Victorian dog friendly cafe list fill in the rest.