Comma Food & Wine

Comma Food & Wine is a polished neighbourhood bar and restaurant on Station Street in Moorabbin, and its astroturfed outdoor garden is where dogs are welcome. It opens for dinner Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm, which makes it one of the few genuinely dressy options in Melbourne's south east where the dog can join the table.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you in the outdoor garden, which is covered with umbrellas, heated for cooler nights, and roomy enough for a dog to settle beside the table without sitting in the walkway. Staff often bring water out, but pack your own bowl to be safe. Because this is a sit-down restaurant rather than a walk-up, book ahead and ask for the outdoor area when you reserve.

The vibe

The kitchen cooks over coals: hibachi-grilled steaks with triple cooked chips and black garlic aioli, handmade pasta and gnocchi, and seafood like kingfish crudo. The weekly rhythm is part of the draw, with steak night every Wednesday and a gnocchi and pasta special with a glass of wine each Thursday, backed by a considered wine list and proper cocktails. It leans toward a long dinner rather than a quick bite.

Getting there and parking

The address is 2 Station Street, Moorabbin, a skip from Moorabbin station and close to the Nepean Highway. Street parking on Station Street and the side streets is limited at dinner time, so arriving by train works in your favour, and it puts a lead walk either side of the meal within easy reach.

Close by with the dogs

For a more casual night in the same precinct, Stomping Ground Brewery & Beer Hall at Morris Moor also takes dogs outdoors, and The Tradesman Cafe covers daytime coffee. Burn off dinner beforehand at the G.R. Bricker Reserve Dog Off Leash Area, with the rest of the suburb in the Moorabbin guide.

Max: request the garden by name when you book, not just an outdoor table. Wednesday steak night is the sweet spot: the garden is at its best and the dog gets the falling temps settled under the heaters.

Confirm the outdoor table when reserving, especially for weekend service when the room fills early. More options across the state are in the Victoria restaurant listings.