No.7 Healesville

No.7 Healesville is the produce-driven restaurant at 7 Lilydale Road, doing modern Australian cooking with Spanish and Mexican inflections and a serious local wine list. It is an upscale but relaxed room, and the reason it works with a dog is the outdoor seating: friendly dogs are welcome there, but the main dining room stays humans-only.

The dog setup

Book or request an outdoor table, because that is the only part of the venue your dog can join. The outdoor area is a comfortable spot for a long lunch or dinner in milder weather, and staff are used to well-behaved dogs at the tables. Water is generally offered, but a collapsible bowl is the safe call. On weekends the outdoor tables go first, so plan ahead rather than rolling in and hoping.

The food and the vibe

The menu changes with the seasons and is built for sharing: think beef tartare, lamb skewers, confit duck and a Basque cheesecake to finish, with a wine pairing list deep in Yarra Valley drops. The kitchen is known to run late into the afternoon, which makes it a reliable late lunch, Thursday through Sunday from midday.

Getting there and parking

The address is 7 Lilydale Road, a short roll from the Healesville town centre, with free on-site parking in a dedicated lot. Healesville is under an hour from Melbourne's east via the Maroondah Highway, which makes it an easy day trip from the city with the dog in the back.

Nearby with the dogs

For exercise before or after a meal, the Healesville Showgrounds off-leash area gives the dog a proper run, and the Watts River parks along River Street suit a shaded on-lead wander with splash spots in summer. The Maroondah Reservoir walk is close by on-lead. If the day turns into a Yarra Valley crawl, Boat O'Craigo and The Laneway Pink Cantina are other Healesville stops that welcome dogs.

More of the valley is on the Healesville destination page, and the full list is in the VIC restaurants index.