The Ninth Ave

The Ninth Ave is a popular brunch and lunch cafe in the Westmeadows Village strip on Western Avenue, five minutes from Melbourne Airport, with a local reputation for being genuinely welcoming to dogs. The outdoor tables are the dog seats, and they fill fast on weekends.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on lead in the outdoor seating area, where staff are known for their warm attitude to visiting dogs. Check table availability when you arrive, because the outside section is not large and weekend mornings run at capacity.

The vibe

The menu leans into elevated brunch: shakshuka, smashed avo, acai bowls, bao buns and a much-ordered eggs benedict, backed by strong coffee. It is all-day trading rather than a grab-and-go, which suits a slower weekend morning with a settled dog. With a dog in tow you will be out front anyway, where the strip's quiet village feel does the work the interior would otherwise do.

Hours run 6:30am to 3pm Monday to Saturday, and the cafe is closed Sundays entirely, so late-morning plans need to be a weekday or Saturday.

Max: Saturday tables go by 9am. Walk the valley track first, then claim an outside table before the airport traffic thinks of brunch. Arriving before the mid-morning rush is the difference between a front table and a wait.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along Western Avenue and the surrounding residential streets, and the small village setting makes the walk from the car short. The Tullamarine Freeway puts the airport minutes away without the noise reaching the strip.

Pair it with

Westmeadows Reserve Dog Off Leash Area sits in the suburb, and the Broadmeadows Valley Park (Barry Road) Dog Off Leash Area is the bigger run next door. Willowbrook Reserve covers the quiet morning circuit option.

More spots are on the Victoria cafes guide and the Westmeadows destination page.