Dawn Cafe

Dawn Cafe sits at 131 Ocean Throughway, directly across the road from the beach in Ocean Grove, running 7am to 3pm every day. Dogs are welcome at the shaded outdoor seating out front, which makes it a natural stop either side of a beach walk with the dog.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the shaded tables at the front of the cafe, and water bowls are provided for visiting dogs. There are even dog treats on the menu, so your dog is not just tolerated here. On very busy days, bring your own water bowl to be safe, since the front tables fill quickly in summer.

The vibe and the menu

The food is the reason for the queue: bacon and egg rolls and smashed avo at breakfast, then fish tacos, lobster rolls and cheeseburgers through lunch, with smoothies (the PB smoothie has its fans) and specialty coffee alongside. Cinnamon scrolls do the rounds in the cabinet. The feel is casual coastal, and the position across from the sand is the whole draw.

Getting there and parking

Street parking is available around Ocean Throughway, but the strip gets busy in summer and on weekends given how close it is to the water, so arrive early if you want a shaded front table with a settled dog beside you.

Nearby with the dogs

The beach is right across the road; check the posted signs for seasonal off-leash times before letting your dog off, and the Ocean Grove dog beach is the designated stretch nearby. The Point Lonsdale dog beach is the next option up the coast. For more dog-friendly coffee in town, Gather and Some Folk Coffee both take dogs at outdoor tables.