Squires Loft Nunawading

Squires Loft Nunawading is a steakhouse on the Whitehorse Road strip, part of a Victorian group known for chargrilled grass-fed beef and sticky-basted ribs. For dog owners it works as a proper sit-down dinner out: dogs are welcome in the designated outdoor seating, so a real steakhouse meal does not have to mean leaving the dog at home.

The dog setup

Dogs are allowed in the designated outdoor seating areas, with the indoor grillhouse reserved for people. Call ahead on (03) 9894 0583 when you book and say you are bringing a dog, so you are given a suitable outdoor table, since arrangements can shift with weather and how busy the terrace is. Bring your own water bowl, especially on busy nights.

The vibe

The kitchen runs custom-built chargrills and its own bastes and sauces. The pork and beef ribs come as generous racks in the signature sticky basting, the eye fillet is the tender-cut anchor of the steak list, and there are chicken, vegetarian and surf and turf options alongside starters like baked mushrooms with feta. Beef is sourced from Victoria's Gippsland and Western District. Trading runs lunch and dinner Wednesday to Friday, dinner-only Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, and Sunday sessions cover lunch and dinner, so treat it as a planned dinner rather than a casual drop-in.

Getting there and parking

The address is Shop 54, 288 Whitehorse Road, Nunawading, in the big-box retail precinct. Parking is easy by city-standards: ample free on-site parking sits right outside, which also makes arrivals and departures simple with a dog in tow.

Close by with the dogs

Take the edge off an energetic dog before a seated meal at Nicoll Park off leash area, or stretch legs on the Blackburn Lake Whitehorse heritage trail, both a short drive away. The Peddler Cafe covers the daytime coffee run in the same strip.

For more options, browse other dog friendly restaurants in VIC or see what else is on around Nunawading.