Nina's

Nina's is a sandwich and coffee spot at 3B Newlands Road, Reservoir, that has quickly built a following on the strength of its loaded Italian-style panini. It sits directly across from a dog park and playground, which makes it a natural stop on a neighbourhood walk. Hours run 5:30am to 3pm on weekdays and 8am to 2:30pm Saturday; it is closed Sundays.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor and footpath seating out the front, and the venue keeps a relaxed, local tone about it. Water bowls are usually out the front on busy mornings, but pack a collapsible bowl to be sure. Inside stays people-only, as with most food venues. Leashed dogs only, given the footpath sits on the street frontage.

The panini and the coffee

The signature is the panino: fresh-baked crunchy bread packed with slow-cooked fillings, with the La Nonna and a chicken schnitzel version leading the orders and a crumbed eggplant panino covering vegetarians. Beyond the panini there are brekkie rolls, arancini, lasagne and cartocci, the Italian donut-style pastry, all paired with Allpress espresso. Gluten-free options are available, and a rotating cabinet of sweets covers the morning-tea crowd.

Getting there and parking

The address is 3B Newlands Road, Reservoir, in the streets south of Edwardes Lake. Free street parking runs along Newlands Road and the surrounding blocks, though watch the clearway and time limits during the weekday peaks around 8am and 3pm.

Close by with the dogs

The dog park across the road handles a quick off-lead run, and Edwardes Lake Park Dog Off-Lead Area is a few minutes down the road: Darebin Council allows dogs off-lead only inside the fenced enclosure at the corner of Leamington Street and Seaver Grove, with the rest of the park on-lead. Crispe Park Dog Off Leash Area is another nearby option. Other Reservoir cafes include All Heart Cafe and Clayton & Me.

More options are on the Reservoir destination page, with the wider list on the Victoria cafe guide.