Our Little Ray of Sunshine

Our Little Ray of Sunshine is the cheerful corner cafe at 50 Station Street, Sandringham, opposite the train station and about 150 metres from the beach. It does breakfast, brunch and lunch from early morning, with outdoor tables on the street side where dogs are welcome. For a Bayside morning that starts with a walk along the sand and ends with eggs and good coffee, this is the sort of stop that makes the circuit work.

The dog setup

Dogs on a leash are welcome at the outdoor seating, which suits the coastal village feel of the strip. Bring your dog straight from the beach path, settle at a street table and let staff know if you need a water bowl. The indoor room is where the bigger tables and the weekend buzz live, so on busy mornings the footpath seats are the dog owner's friend, and midweek visits are the easiest to land one.

The vibe

The kitchen covers the classics and then some: big breakfasts, smashed avocado, halloumi bruschetta, nourishing bowls and a kids menu, plus healthy, vegetarian and vegan options alongside. Signature dishes locals order by name include the Sandy and the lamb brunch, and the cabinet rotates fresh sweets with fruit toast and porridge for the early crew. The egg and bacon roll and the steak sandwich are the grab-and-go heroes, and the coffee comes out fast with latte art on top. Doors open at 6:30am on weekdays and 7am on weekends, with the kitchen winding up in the mid afternoon.

Getting there and parking

Station Street is the main strip of Sandringham village, on the Sandringham line about 25 minutes from the Melbourne CBD by train, and the station platform is effectively across the road. Street parking runs along Station Street and the surrounding lanes, busy on weekends once the beach crowd lands. The beach, the yacht club and the harbour dog beach are all inside a five minute walk.

Close by with the dogs

The Sandringham Harbour Dog Beach is the headline nearby run, a year round off leash stretch by the yacht club. Royal Avenue Reserve Dog Off Leash Area covers the grass option, and Sandy Kiosk is the post-swim coffee at the harbour end.

Max: beach sprint, then the Sandy and a flat white on the footpath. This is the Bayside dream.

See the Victorian cafes list for more, or check Sandringham for the village set.