Payten & Jones

Payten & Jones is a casual urban winery and cellar door at 3 Lilydale Road, right in the centre of Healesville and directly opposite the Four Pillars distillery. It regularly lands on Yarra Valley dog-friendly lists for a simple reason: dogs are welcome inside the small cellar door, not just out the front, which makes it a rare wet-weather option in wine country.

Dogs at Payten & Jones

Dogs are welcome in the intimate cellar door and in the small seating area out the front. The space is tight, so it suits a socialised dog that can settle in a busy room; if your dog reads cramped rooms as too much, take the front seating instead and everyone keeps their cool. Staff are accommodating, but bring your own water bowl and treats, and keep the lead on while tasters move around the small space.

Worth knowing

The wines lean natural and unfiltered, made to drink young, with chardonnay, pinot noir and sangiovese among the range, and the vibe is high-energy and laid-back rather than a polished estate. The building doubles as a street-art gallery, vermouth from Catalan producer Fot-Li gets its own following, and rotating food trucks, craft beer and music give the yard a festival feel on weekends. Doors open daily from 12pm to 5pm, with tastings wrapping around 4:30pm.

Max: pick the outdoor tables if the room fills up, the garden side keeps your dog comfortable and you still get the full list by the glass.

Getting there and parking

Healesville's main strip is an easy drive from Melbourne, around an hour via the Maroondah Highway. Street parking runs along Lilydale Road and the nearby side streets, and being in town means you can park once and walk between the winery, the distillery opposite and the main-street cafes.

Pair it with

Make it a town crawl: Jayden Ong Winery & Cellar Bar and Cherry Tree Cafe are both close by, and Healesville Showgrounds is a five-minute drive for an off-leash break.

More options are on the Victoria wineries guide and the Healesville destinations page.