Flying Brick Cider Co

Flying Brick Cider Co is the big retro-styled cider house on the Bellarine Highway at Wallington, roughly 15 minutes from Geelong and 10 from Ocean Grove, and the outdoor lawn and veranda are open to leashed dogs. It makes an easy Bellarine stop that feels like a proper afternoon out rather than a quick coffee: tasting paddles on the lawn, food truck in season, and live music on weekends.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs on lead are welcome across the outdoor lawn and the veranda, with the veranda giving you a covered option when the weather turns. The indoor restaurant is out of bounds except for service dogs. Bookings for the veranda are recommended, while the lawn is walk-ins only, so arrive early on good weekends. Bring your own water bowl because the lawn setup does not guarantee one, and remember the lawn is not fenced, so keep the lead secured when the crowd builds.

The menu

The ciders are the point: 100% fresh fruit with no concentrates, in Original, Pear and Vintage styles, best worked through with a tasting paddle. Local Bellarine wines, craft beers and cocktails back them up. Food runs from share plates and seasonal mains like the braised lamb shoulder, with the outdoor food truck serving brisket burgers and street snacks through the warmer months and a compact bar snack menu carrying the cooler ones. Hours are 11am to 5pm most days and 11am to 10pm Friday and Saturday, with live music 6pm to 9:30pm on those nights.

Getting there and parking

The address is 1251 Bellarine Highway, Wallington, straight off the main road between Geelong and the coast. There is extensive free on-site parking, including space for larger vehicles, so arriving with the dog is friction-free.

Close by with the dogs

The Ocean Grove to Barwon Heads trail is a short drive for a proper walk before lunch, and the Ocean Grove dogs beach handles the saltwater leg-stretch. If you are dining around the Bellarine, The Dunes at Ocean Grove and Gather are both dog-tolerant stops close by.

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

Max: Paddle of ciders for the humans, patch of lawn for me, brisket burgers if I play it right. Stay for the arvo.