Footlong Dogs

Footlong Dogs is a quick-service gourmet hot dog shop at 23 Swan Street in Richmond, with the front door directly beside Richmond Station. It opens early, 6am on weekdays and 7am on weekends, running until 11am, and it is an easy dog stop: dogs are welcome inside the small shop and out on the Swan Street footpath, where the resident dog, Reggie, is often part of the scenery.

The dog setup

The shop is a narrow street-front counter, so the practical arrangement with a dog is the footpath immediately outside, keeping your dog leashed and tight to the wall while Swan Street foot traffic goes past. Early morning is the calm window, before commuter and match-day crowds build. There is no formal dog menu; the appeal for dogs is the stop itself and the short walk to the parklands either side.

The vibe

The format is simple: a 6-inch half a foot or the full 12-inch footlong, loaded with toppings from pickled vegetables to cheeses and mustards. The Bacon Barker Dog, a beef frank wrapped with bacon and finished with spicy brown mustard, is the signature. Coffee comes hot or iced, and the station-side position makes it a regular first-stop for commuters and a pre-match feed before walking to the MCG.

Getting there and parking

Skip the car if you can. Richmond Station sits on all train lines through the Caulfield group, tram routes run along Swan Street, and Swan Street parking is scarce and timed. Palmer and Stewart Streets nearby offer alternatives in high demand.

Close by with the dogs

Yarra Park Dog Off Leash Area, east of the MCG, and Barkly Gardens Dog Off Leash Area both give a proper off-leash run within walking distance. After breakfast, The National Hotel is another dog-friendly Richmond stop on the same strip.

More inner-city stops: cafes in VIC and Richmond.