Olinda Cafe

Olinda Cafe sits on the main drag through the Dandenongs at the top of the mountain, and the dog arrangement is the classic hill country one: dogs are welcome outside in the colourful garden courtyard, where Tripadvisor and AGFG listings report patrons regularly dining alongside their dogs. There is no venue published policy on file, so this is reported practice, but the courtyard is visible from the road and the pattern holds across listings.

The vibe

The cabinet is the draw: scones, pies, caramel slice and a schnitzel roll that regulars defend, served by a staff team that reviews consistently single out as friendly. Coffee holds up and the courtyard tables are spaced far enough apart that dogs settle without negotiating other tables. Hours run 8:30am to 3pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:30am to 4pm Saturday and 9am to 4pm Sunday, with Wednesday closed, so a weekend morning visit beats the midweek coffee run, and the courtyard fills quickly on autumn weekends when the leaf season peaks.

While you're out there

Olinda is built for burning off the scones. The Old Olinda Golf Course dog off leash area gives the dog a proper run nearby, and the Mathias Walking Track handles a leashed forest walk afterwards. For the sit down option, the Olinda Tea House & Restaurant is the other mountain table in the suburb.

Olinda-Monbulk Road carries parking along the strip and behind the shops, and the Dandenong ranges weather runs cool even in summer, so bring a jumper for the outdoor tables and expect afternoon fog on the drive up. The Olinda destination page collects the hill country picks, and the Victoria cafes guide covers the rest of the state.