Mexican Kitchen

Mexican Kitchen has been serving Mexican and Spanish-inspired plates at 28 High Street since 1974, which makes it one of Victoria's longest-running Mexican restaurants. For dog owners the relevant real estate is the row of footpath tables out front, where a settled, leashed dog can sit out a full dinner beside you.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables on the High Street footpath, on lead and tucked in close to your chair. The indoor dining room is for people only, apart from assistance animals. Water may be offered on request, so pack a portable bowl to be safe. The footpath faces a busy stretch of High Street, so this is a spot for a dog that settles under a table rather than one that patrols.

Worth knowing

The menu runs to the classics: tacos, fajitas, the beef Nachos Supreme, the chicken and cashew burrito and mushroom taquitos, with margaritas, tequila cocktails and Mexican beer behind the bar. Service is dinner-only, Wednesday to Sunday from 5:30pm, with Friday kicking off earlier at 3:30pm; Mondays and Tuesdays are closed. Weekend evenings draw the crowd, so early weeknight tables are the relaxed ones for a dog.

Max: fifty years of nachos and they still bring the dip out hot. Find a footpath table before sunset and everyone wins.

Getting there and parking

The restaurant sits at 28 High Street, near the Bendigo city centre. Free street parking is available along High Street and the surrounding blocks, and access to the footpath tables is flat and level. It is an easy walk from the central car parks if the street bays are taken.

Close by with the dogs

Central Bendigo is good on-lead wandering territory. The Green Olive and the Bendigo Tram Cafe cover the coffee end of the day, and the Old Boundary Hotel is another dog-friendly dining stop in town. Lake Weeroona is a short drive north for a longer waterside loop before dinner.