The Fat Spatula

The Fat Spatula was a small creperie at 627 Rathdowne Street in the Rathdowne Village strip of Carlton North, a few minutes' walk north of Princes Park, doing sweet and savoury buckwheat crepes and galettes for the neighbourhood breakfast crowd. It has now permanently closed, with its business listing marked as such, so this page stands as a record of the spot rather than a recommendation: the listings below are what to do with the dog instead.

The dog setup it ran

When it traded, dogs were welcome at the small footpath seating out front on a short lead, with the tight shopfront keeping dogs outside, and a water bowl usually on the pavement for visiting dogs. It operated mornings only, from 7am to around 2pm on weekdays and slightly later on Saturdays, closing Sundays.

Worth knowing

The menu ran to savoury buckwheat galettes and sweet crepes, plus sourdough crumpets that rotated through the cabinet. It was a small, high-energy neighbourhood counter rather than a destination cafe, and the pavement in front was busy enough that a settled dog mattered.

Where to go instead with the dog

Princes Park is a few minutes' walk south, with two designated off-leash areas under City of Melbourne rules, one near the bowling club end and one around Crawford Oval at the southern end, both unfenced, with dogs on lead elsewhere and a leash carried at all times. Princes Park's northern off-leash area suits a structured visit, and the Princes Park circular walk loops the whole park on lead. For a fully fenced run, Curtain Square Fenced Dog Park is the closer option.

Street parking runs along Rathdowne Street and the side streets, and the Route 1 tram on Nicholson Street is a short walk away. More of the neighbourhood is on the Carlton North destination page and in the VIC parks index.