The Birch Geelong

The Birch is a light-filled cafe and restaurant at 359 Pakington Street, Newtown, doing Asian-fusion brunch by day and a modern Australian dinner service later in the week. It is one of the most deliberately dog-friendly venues on the Pakington strip: a dedicated dog menu, complimentary self-serve water and an outdoor courtyard designed for dogs to settle in beside your table.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating, a relaxed, cosy courtyard space where a settled dog at your feet is the norm rather than the exception. Self-serve still and sparkling water on tap covers pets as well as people, so you are not waiting on a single shared bowl. The kitchen runs a separate dog menu including a doggocino, so your dog gets its own order. The room is also family-friendly, with an outdoor play area for kids.

Max: the self-serve water and a dog menu mean a long brunch is actually relaxing instead of a watch-the-bowl exercise. Bring a towel if the courtyard has seen rain.

The vibe

The menu leans Asian-fusion: beef rendang eggs benedict on roti, katsu tacos, prawn toast and a tiramisu latte, with vegetarian and vegan options throughout. Service runs from early morning, with the daytime kitchen winding up mid afternoon and evening sessions on select nights Thursday through Saturday, so check the venue's current hours before planning dinner.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along Pakington Street and the side streets, and it gets busy on weekend mornings, so allow a few extra minutes. Once you are parked, everything on the strip is an easy walk.

Close by with the dogs

Pakington Street is a natural on-lead stroll past other dog-friendly cafes such as Skinny Dippers Cafe. For a proper run first, Wilsonson Heights Dog Park is the local off-lead option, and the Barwon River tracks are a short trip away for a longer scenic walk before or after you eat.

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