Lava Cafe Restaurant Bar & Lava Lounge

Lava runs as cafe, restaurant and bar all in one on Berwick's High Street, and the front verandah takes dogs at any of those speeds. Breakfast at 8am, a chicken parma at lunch or cocktails late into Friday night are all the same room, which makes it an easy peg for whatever time you land in the village with the dog.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you on the front verandah, on the footpath side of the venue, rather than inside. It is a genuinely usable outdoor area in most weather: cafe blinds shelter the tables and heaters keep them warm through the colder months. Keep your dog on the lead and settled clear of the footpath traffic. Staff are used to dog owners, but bring your own water bowl to be safe.

The vibe

The menu covers modern Australian from brunch to dinner, with calamari, smashed avo, steak sandwiches, pork rolls, lasagne and chicken parma all in rotation, and the room is family-friendly. Hours shift by day: early close Monday and Tuesday, kitchen to 9pm midweek, and Friday and Saturday running to 2am. Weekends get bustling, so a weekday verandah table is the relaxed version.

Getting there and parking

The address is 25-27 High Street, right in Berwick's main commercial strip, with street parking along High Street and public parking behind the main-street buildings. If you are already wandering the village on the leash, it is an easy walk between the shops.

Close by with the dogs

Pioneers Park sits a short walk off Peel Street for a green leg-stretch, and there is more dog-friendly High Street seating nearby. Populus Cafe serves big breakfasts street-side at number 74, Primary @ Pioneers Park overlooks the park itself, and Wilson Botanic Park is the bigger walk a few minutes south.

Check the Lava website for current hours, since they swing widely across the week.