Mona Cicchetti Bar

Mona Cicchetti Bar is a Venetian-inspired small plates and cocktail bar at 420 Wallington Road, and the covered outdoor dining area at the front takes dogs with the full menu and table service. For the Bellarine, that combination is unusual: this is a proper evening-out venue, not just a beer garden, and your dog can be part of it.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the undercover outdoor dining area at the front, on leash and close to the table. Because the space is covered, rain does not end the plan, and you get the complete menu out there rather than a cut-down version. The team is known for being welcoming to dogs, particularly smaller ones. Pack a water bowl as backup, and book ahead for weekend nights because the small-plates format encourages long sittings and tables turn over slowly.

The menu

The format is cicchetti, the Venetian answer to small plates: arancini, gnocchi fritti, polpette, calamari and pizza fritta from $12 to $24, with larger cucina plates such as lasagna, parmigiana, swordfish spiedo and beef tagliata alongside. Gluten-free options run across the dishes. If you would rather not choose, the Feed Me Cicchetti ($50) and the three-course Feed Me Cucina ($75) do the ordering for you, and the cocktail list is a genuine drawcard. Doors open from 5pm Wednesday to Friday, midday on weekends, closed Monday and Tuesday.

Getting there and parking

Wallington Road runs between Geelong and Ocean Grove on the Bellarine, and there is parking on-site or immediately adjacent to the venue, so arriving with the dog is straightforward.

Close by with the dogs

The Ocean Grove dogs beach is a short drive for a pre-dinner run, and the Ocean Grove to Barwon Heads trail suits an on-lead afternoon walk. Flying Brick Cider Co just up the road is the daytime counterpart for a lawn lunch with the dog.

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

Pepsi: Arancini patrol under the table, undercover from the rain, humans working through the cocktail list. Bellarine evenings done right.