Asap Room Melbourne

Asap Room is a quirky community cafe at 100A Barkly Street in St Kilda, and one of the few in the area that welcomes dogs inside as well as out. Board games on the shelves, a casual fit-out and a staff team that keeps biscuits behind the counter make it an easy wet-weather stop, especially when the bay breeze turns cold.

The dog setup

Dogs are allowed indoors, with a small outdoor area as a backup on busy days, and staff are known to hand out biscuits to regulars' dogs. Weekend brunch gets crowded, so a quieter weekday visit suits a less confident dog.

Pepsi: if the front room is packed, ask for a corner table away from the door. It is a small space and the flow of orders never really stops.

The vibe

The kitchen leans Asian-inspired: banh mi, pho, shake noodles and toasties sit alongside the coffee, and the hojicha and matcha lattes get regular mentions. Open daily, from 7am on weekdays and 8am on weekends through to about 4pm.

Getting there

Street parking on Barkly Street and the side streets is limited, as anywhere this close to Acland Street. Trams along Barkly Street and Acland Street stop within a short walk, so it is an easy car-free trip from most of the bayside suburbs.

While you're out there

St Kilda's dog beaches are the obvious pairing: St Kilda Harbour Dog Beach is a short walk for a swim either side of coffee, and Peanut Farm Reserve Dog Off Leash Area covers an off-lead run. Annamese Kitchen is another Asian-leaning dog-friendly cafe nearby.

More options are on the Victorian dog friendly cafes guide and the St Kilda destination page.