Two Hands Rooftop Bar & Beer Garden Eatery

Two Hands is a multi-level rooftop bar and beer garden at 311A Victoria Street, Abbotsford, with a tropical-themed, party-leaning feel and a full cocktail list. It is listed as dog-friendly, with dogs kept to the outdoor spaces: the beer garden, courtyard and rooftop. This is a high-energy venue rather than a quiet local, so it suits a settled, sociable dog far better than a nervous one. Doors open from 4pm on weekdays and 3pm on weekends, running late.

The dog setup

Dogs stay in the outdoor areas on lead; the indoor sections are people only. Water bowls are usually around and staff are used to dogs passing through. Because the venue fills fast on Friday and Saturday nights, call ahead on (03) 9973 9589 to lock in an outdoor table rather than rolling up and hoping, especially with a larger dog that needs floor space.

The vibe

The draw is the rooftop itself, a big open-air room with cocktails, a casual beer-garden menu, a pool table and shisha, and DJs as the night builds. It has run dog-friendly events in the past, but policies and event line-ups shift, so confirm the current arrangement when you book. For a calmer afternoon version of the same outing, Victoria Street's footpath cafes a few doors down do the daytime job.

Getting there and a walk first

Trams run along Victoria Street with a stop close by, which beats driving; there is some off-street parking plus street spots nearby if you do come by car. Pair the visit with a proper leg-stretch first: Flockhart Reserve has a designated off-leash area right on the Yarra and the Main Yarra Trail, and the Victoria Park fenced off-leash oval is a few blocks away.

If the rooftop is heaving, The Yarra Hotel keeps a quieter dog-friendly beer garden out back on Johnston Street, and Stomping Ground over the border does big beer-hall afternoons with water bowls at the ready. More of the area is on the Abbotsford destination page and in the VIC pubs index.