Mortadeli

Mortadeli is a Mediterranean pasta bar, deli and grocer at Shop 9, 4-6 Gilbert Street in central Torquay, and it has become one of the town's most talked-about eats since opening. For dog owners the deal is simple: the footpath tables out front take dogs, the food travels well, and you are minutes from the foreshore, so it slots straight into a beach morning.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor footpath seating along the front of the venue, while the indoor dining room and deli stay pet-free under Victorian food rules. The footpath is a working street, so a calm dog that will settle close to the table is the right fit. Water bowls are often put out for passing dogs, but pack your own to be safe, and keep the lead anchored away from the pedestrian flow.

The menu

The headline is the Mortadella Fresca sandwich, backed by rotating deli subs, meatball subs and fresh pasta made daily, with cacio e pepe a house favourite. The grocer side stocks imported Italian ingredients and local produce, and there is coffee, tiramisu and pistachio biscotti for the sweet tooth. Everything is built to travel, so a sandwich for the foreshore is a legitimate strategy. Hours run 9am to 3pm Sunday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm Friday and Saturday.

Getting there and parking

Gilbert Street sits just off Torquay's main strip, a short walk from the beach end of town. Street parking runs along Gilbert Street and the surrounding blocks, and it gets busy on weekends and through summer, so arrive early for the easier park and the quieter footpath.

Close by with the dogs

Whites Beach permits dogs off-lead at all times under Surf Coast Shire rules and Fishermans Beach runs time-share restrictions, so check the signage at the entry. If you are putting together a Torquay circuit, Blackman's Brewery covers dinner with the dog, Sandbah Cafe handles breakfast, and the Jan Juc dog beach is a short drive west.

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

Pepsi: I sit on the footpath, they bring the mortadella, and nobody makes me move. Torquay gets it.