Duke's Commercial Hotel Koroit

Duke's Commercial Hotel is a classic old-style country pub at 180 Commercial Road, the main street through Koroit, between Warrnambool and Port Fairy. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area while the bar and dining rooms inside stay people-only, which makes it a handy lunch or drink stop on the drive through town.

The dog setup

The outdoor area faces the main road, so pick a table where your dog can settle out of the foot traffic and keep the lead on. Bring your own water bowl rather than counting on one being provided. It is a casual, low-fuss setup: order at the bar, sit outside, keep the dog settled.

The vibe

Expect a genuine country pub: hearty pub fare with generous portions, chicken parmas, loaded schnitzels and burgers, a well-poured Guinness on tap, and a genuinely friendly local crowd. Trivia runs every Tuesday night and packs the place out, so book ahead on (03) 5565 8510 if you want a table that evening.

Getting there and parking

The hotel trades from 11am most days (4pm Mondays), running late Thursday to Saturday, with bistro lunch and dinner service in the middle of those windows. Free parking is available on the street and in the hotel's own lot, so arriving with the dog is easy.

Pair it with

For an off-lead run before lunch, the Koroit Dog Park is in town, and Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve with its leashed walking trails is five to ten minutes away. For a beer afterwards, Noodledoof Brewing & Distilling Co. is also on the main street.

A quieter weekday lunch beats a busy Friday night if your dog is not used to pub crowds. More options are in the Victoria dog friendly restaurants guide and the Koroit destination page.