Kallista Tea Rooms

Kallista Tea Rooms is a historic art deco teahouse at 103 Monbulk Road in Kallista, in the Dandenong Ranges. The building was designed by modernist architect Frederick Romberg and opened around 1950 with a glazed, cantilevered oval tea room upstairs, and it is now a light-filled cafe known for Devonshire tea under the mountain ash. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area, and it rates 4.3 across more than 1,300 reviews.

Dogs outside under the trees

Dogs are welcome outdoors, not inside the tea room. Water bowls are provided, and staff offer pay-at-the-table service so you never need to leave your dog to order at the counter. Keep dogs leashed and under control at the tables; the leafy setting regularly draws cockatoos and rosellas down into the garden, so a dog that does not lunge at birds will have an easier time.

Scones and the menu

The house-made scones are baked daily and served with jam and double cream, and gluten-free scones and pancakes are available too. Beyond tea fare, the menu leans local and organic: Kallista corn fritters, buckwheat pancakes, savoury omelettes and burgers, plus a classic high tea with vintage presentation. Coffee comes from Industry Beans, alongside chai, Lindt hot chocolate and Yarra Valley wines. Hours run from 9am, closing mid-afternoon, with slightly later close on Friday and weekends.

Getting there and parking

Kallista is reachable from Melbourne via Burwood Highway or Monbulk Road. Free street parking sits on Monbulk Road and the side streets, plus a nearby car park.

Make a day of it

Johns Hill Lookout Reserve Dog Off Leash Area is in Kallista for a run before scones, and the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens at nearby Sherbrooke welcome leashed dogs along woodland tracks past the boathouse. Cork at Cooks Corner is a short drive away for another dog-friendly table, and more options are listed under VIC restaurants and in Kallista.

Book ahead for weekends; the outdoor tables fill quickly. Good for a relaxed morning tea with a well-behaved dog at your feet.