Elwood Bathers

Elwood Bathers sits right on the Elwood foreshore at 23 Barring Buluk Circuit, with views straight across Port Phillip Bay from a modern Australian, seafood-leaning kitchen: think oysters, fish and chips, kingfish and barramundi, plus a proper drinks list and coffee. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from 11:30am, running later from Thursday through Saturday, and closes Monday and Tuesday. Dogs are welcome on the outdoor terrace, which makes it one of the better sit-down stops after a bay walk.

The dog setup

Dogs join you on the beachfront terrace; the indoor dining room is patrons only. The venue has a well-earned reputation for being welcoming to dogs of all sizes on the terrace, and water is usually available on request, but bringing your own bowl is a safe habit. Weekend lunches and sunset dinners fill fast, so book if you want to be sure of a spot; the terrace runs more walk-up than the dining room.

The vibe

Casual but polished, the room trades on the water view and a menu that leans seafood without going fine dining. It is popular for long weekend lunches and early dinners timed to the sunset over the bay, so expect a busy, sociable scene on fine afternoons rather than a quiet corner table.

Getting there and a walk first

Paid parking sits in the large council car park right in front, with street parking along Marine Parade that fills quickly on sunny weekends. The coastal path runs straight past the door, and Elwood Beach in front of the venue has designated off leash zones, so a swim and a run before lunch works well. The Elwood Beach dog off leash area details the timing rules.

For a longer outing, the foreshore path links south to the St Kilda Harbour dog beach, and back in the village Plain Sailing or Who is Bunker Spreckels do the casual coffee stop with footpath tables. More of the area is on the Elwood destination page and in the VIC restaurants index.