Proudfoots By The River

Proudfoots By The River sits in a historic 1885 boathouse on the bank of the Hopkins River at 2 Simpson Street, and it is one of the most genuinely dog-welcoming feeds in Warrnambool. Dogs join you on the outdoor balcony and veranda looking over the river, and the deck is set up to keep both ends of the table comfortable across the weather.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on the outdoor deck and balcony, not inside the main dining room, and they stay on a lead with you at the table. Brollies and blankets are kept on hand so dogs and owners stay comfortable whatever the sky is doing. Book ahead and specifically request an outdoor table, because the pet-friendly deck seats fill first on fine weekends. Bring your own water bowl and a treat just in case; staff are accommodating but there is no formal doggy menu to rely on.

Worth knowing

The kitchen works modern Australian around local produce, and seafood carries it: seared scallops, seafood chowder and market fish, with Cape Grim steak and rotating house-made pastas or seasonal gnocchi on the other half of the menu. Lunch runs from 11am Wednesday to Sunday, with dinner sessions Wednesday through Saturday; Monday and Tuesday are closed. It is a regular stop for cyclists coming off the river path, and weekend mornings bring the brunch crowd.

Getting there and parking

The boathouse sits at the water end of Simpson Street on the Hopkins, with on-site parking out front. It sits right on the local cycle path, so it works as a stop if you are riding or walking the river with the dog.

Close by with the dogs

The Hopkins River paths run right past the door for an on-leash stretch before or after eating; note the river frontage near the Ski Club is dog-prohibited from 1 November to 30 April under council rules. For a guaranteed off-leash run, Victoria Park Community Dog Park is the town's fenced option. Seaview Warrnambool holds the other water-view deck in town, and Beaches Cafe & Bar covers the foreshore end.

Pepsi: A 130-year-old boathouse deck over the Hopkins with brollies and blankets for the dog is a rare find. Book the outdoor table and everyone wins.

Fine weekend middays are busiest on the deck, so book ahead or aim for a weekday for a quieter riverside meal. Good for an easygoing dog who enjoys a calm waterside setting.