Hapi Cafe & Restaurant Rye

Hapi Cafe sits on Point Nepean Road directly across from the Rye foreshore, which makes it an easy coffee-and-breakfast stop to bookend a beach walk. It is a casual all-day spot mixing cafe staples with a modern Asian twist, the sister location to the well-known Hapi in Dromana, and it is genuinely happy to have dogs along. The menu runs from chilli scrambled eggs, eggs benedict and big baked beans through to bao buns and dumplings, with homemade pies, cannoli and a serious vanilla slice for the cabinet.

The dog setup

The outdoor seating faces the street frontage and is where dogs are most welcome, right by the beachfront. Staff are accommodating and will often bring out a water bowl, though a backup bowl of your own is worth carrying on busy mornings. Keep your dog leashed and off the furniture, and pick a front table so there is room to settle.

Worth knowing

Hours run 8am to 3pm on weekdays and 8am to 4pm on weekends. It is a popular, relaxed brunch spot, so weekends move quickly; earlier is easier with a dog. The draw is the position: cross the road and you are on the foreshore.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is on the main coastal strip at Rye, easy to find, with free street parking along Point Nepean Road and the side streets. Parking tightens through summer, so come earlier on warm mornings. The 788 bus stops close by.

Close by with the dogs

The Rye foreshore and its paved coastal path are right across the road for an on-lead stroll, and the Rye Beach dog off-leash area covers a proper run within the seasonal times. Honey and Sol Cafe and Freaky Tiki Cafe are other dog-welcoming stops up the same strip.

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

Pepsi: beach walk across the road, chilli scramble with a view, and a water bowl that tends to appear before you ask.