Kelly's Bar & Kitchen

Kelly's Bar and Kitchen is a cosy bistro and bar in a log cabin on the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road at 1510, known for its fireplace, steaks, burgers and parmas, and eight rotating taps of beer and cider alongside a curated wine list. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area on a lead, while the indoor dining room stays dog-free apart from certified assistance animals.

The dog setup

Your dog joins you on the outdoor patio, which is casual and used to four-legged guests. Staff will often bring a water bowl on request, but carry your own as backup, and keep your dog leashed and settled at the table since the patio is shared with other diners. Mountain weather is handled well: staff are known to quickly set up umbrellas and heaters when conditions turn chilly or wet, which matters when your dog is committed to the outdoor zone.

Worth knowing

Sticky date pudding has a regular following, and there are vegetarian and vegan options alongside the parma-and-steak heartland of the menu. Live music runs on some nights, so check the gig list if your dog prefers quiet. Hours run 4pm to 9pm Tuesday to Thursday and midday to 9pm Friday to Sunday, closed Monday.

Getting there and parking

There is private on-site parking, with extra street parking along the Tourist Road through the village. The venue sits on the main ridge road through the Dandenong Ranges, so it is an easy stop if you are already touring the hills with the dog.

Close by with the dogs

Old Olinda Golf Course off-leash area and the Mathias Walking Track are both short drives for a proper leg-stretch either side of lunch. Over in Olinda village, Olinda Tea House and Ranges at Olinda are other ridge-line dining options, and SkyHigh Mount Dandenong is further up the road towards the summit.

More options are on the Victoria dog friendly restaurants guide and the Mount Dandenong destination page.

Max: confirm which tables are in the dog-friendly zone when you book. On a busy weekend the patio fills fast and you want a quiet corner, not the middle of the foot traffic.