Forage Bendigo

Forage Bendigo has permanently closed. The cafe announced on Instagram that its last service was at the end of June 2026, with the Wellington Street site set to be demolished to make way for a supermarket. This page is kept as a record of what it was, and as a pointer to the dog friendly options that remain in Strathfieldsaye.

What it was

Forage was a rustic-style cafe and lifestyle store at 987 Wellington Street on the main road through Strathfieldsaye, an easy run from Bendigo's CBD. It built its name on seasonal local produce and an all-day menu of smashed avocado, pork belly benedict and egg and bacon rolls, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options alongside. The attached lifestyle store made it a browse-as-well-as-eat stop for locals.

The dog setup

Until closing, dogs were welcome in the outdoor seating under the trees and in the under-cover area, on lead and clear of the indoor dining room, which kept it workable in both summer heat and a wet Bendigo winter. Puppuccinos were available on request at the counter. Hours ran 6am to 3pm Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays.

Where to go now with the dogs

The Strathfieldsaye Junior Oval Dog Off Leash Area on Warne Court is the local off-lead option, unfenced and only off lead outside organised sport, with a water tap and dog bowl on site. In Bendigo itself, The Golden Bean and PEGGYS CAFE are dog friendly stops worth checking, and the PawScapes guide to Bendigo rounds out the area.

More dog friendly cafes in VIC are listed on PawScapes, along with the guide to Strathfieldsaye.

Pepsi: I remember the puppuccino. My human remembers the pork benedict. We both remember the supermarket that took the chairs away.