The Banff

The Banff holds the corner of Fitzroy Street and Canterbury Road in St Kilda, a cosy cafe-restaurant with a warm, rustic feel that locals have long treated as a dog-friendly standby. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables along the Fitzroy Street footpath, and there is enough room for a dog to settle in beside your chair.

The dog setup

Dogs join you at the outdoor seating, where the wide footpath gives you space to park them clear of passing prams and tram crowds. Staff are relaxed about well-behaved dogs, but this is a busy inner-city strip, so bring your own water bowl and keep the lead short while you eat.

Worth knowing

The kitchen runs an easy all-day format: pizza, paper bag pasta and focaccia alongside lighter plates like smoked salmon salad, with vegan options covering the whole table and a happy hour for the drinks side. Sticky date pudding is the dessert people come back for. It suits brunch through dinner, seven days a week.

Getting there and parking

The 96 and 16 trams run down Fitzroy Street and stop close to the door. Street parking on Fitzroy Street itself is limited and metered, with more availability on Canterbury Road and the residential streets behind. If you are coming with a car and a dog, budget a few minutes to circle.

Make a day of it

The Peanut Farm Reserve dog off-leash area behind Luna Park is off-leash around the clock when the oval is free of organised sport, and the St Kilda Beach dog off-leash area covers the sand nearby. Catani Gardens is on-leash only, so keep the lead on through the palms. Dogs Bar on Acland Street continues the evening if the dog is still keen.

Max: Tram to the door, pasta and pizza at a footpath table, then off-lead time at Peanut Farm. St Kilda runs on dog time.

For more options nearby, browse the Victoria dog friendly restaurant listing or the St Kilda destination guide.