Fingers Crossed Cafe

Fingers Crossed is a busy local brunch cafe at 64 Maroondah Highway in Ringwood, right on the main road, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables along the front and side. The draw is the coffee and a broad breakfast and lunch menu that covers a range of dietary needs, with chilli scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, sourdough toast and the blueberry cheesecake pancake as the usual talking points, all served with notably friendly service.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you at the sheltered and shaded sidewalk tables on the front and side of the cafe. Water bowls are frequently out for visiting pups, though a backup bowl of your own is handy at peak times. Staff are used to dog owners, but the seating sits on the Maroondah Highway footpath, so keep a short lead handy when the area fills up.

Worth knowing

Hours run from 7am most days, 6:30am Saturdays, closing at 3pm daily, which makes the weekend early slot the calm one. Being on a main road, the cafe sees constant foot traffic, so it suits a settled dog more than an anxious one.

Getting there and parking

Street parking out front on Maroondah Highway is limited, so the nearby side streets are usually a better bet. Ringwood Station is a short walk away for anyone arriving by train.

Close by with the dogs

Ringwood Lake Park is a couple of minutes away with walking tracks and open space for an on-lead stroll before or after coffee. Leaf & Vine Cafe and Wine Bar is another dog-welcoming local near the lake, the Greenwood Park dog off-leash area covers the run, and Bean in the Woods is a third option on the same side of town.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly cafes guide and the Ringwood destination page.

Pepsi: shaded sidewalk table, a water bowl already out, and Ringwood Lake laps before the pancakes arrive.