Hendriks

Hendriks is a restaurant, bar and cafe at 54 John Street in Lilydale, on the eastern edge of Melbourne's suburbs, running an industrial-chic fit-out with a wood-fired oven at its heart. It trades long hours across lunch, dinner and cocktails, and the outdoor alfresco area is where dogs are welcome.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the alfresco dining area, which has room for a dog to lie alongside your table, and staff have a reputation for accommodating them, including putting outdoor heaters on for cooler evenings. Keep your dog on a lead and settled; the indoor dining room and bar stay people-only. Bring your own water bowl to be safe.

Pepsi: heaters on the patio in winter means this is not just a summer spot, which earns real points.

The vibe

Wood-fired pizzas and chargrilled dishes anchor the menu, with parmas, burgers and loaded brisket fries alongside, and roughly ten beer taps plus a full cocktail list. Live music, trivia and open mic nights run through the week, which builds a lively room; it can get loud, so noise-sensitive dogs do better at an earlier sitting. Hours run from 11.30am Monday to Saturday, with Sunday from 8.30am for breakfast, and later close on Friday and Saturday.

Getting there and parking

John Street sits a short walk from the Lilydale town centre, with free street parking and nearby car parks, and Lilydale station is close if you are coming in on the Belgrave or Lilydale line.

Pair it with

Lillydale Lake (North West) Dog Off Leash Area is about five minutes away for a proper run before you claim a table, the Lilydale General covers the morning coffee end of John Street, and the Brushy Creek section of the Carrum to Warburton Trail makes an easy on-lead warm-up nearby.

More options sit on the Victoria dog friendly restaurants guide and the Lilydale destination page.

Aim for a weekday lunch or an early dinner before the music starts, and confirm the dog policy when booking a busy weekend night.