Dogs inside pubs? Not yet. Pledge only. Election in 37 days

Dog-friendly pubs in Melbourne

25 pubs, all sourced · updated

The 10-second version

  • Your dog can sit in a beer garden, courtyard or deck that is open to the sky.
  • Not inside where food is served (assistance animals excepted).
  • Blinds down or roof closed? Your dog may be asked to leave that area.

Lulie Tavern

Abbotsford · 225 Johnston St, Abbotsford VIC 3067

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Reported by guides

Where dogs go: Courtyard (per IsItDogFriendly)

Venue site says 'dog friendly' without saying where. IsItDogFriendly (July 2026) says dogs are welcome inside and in the courtyard. Indoor access conflicts with the current food rules (see the law note), so confirm first.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Lulie Tavern

Bodriggy Brewing

Abbotsford · 245 Johnston Street, Abbotsford

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Reported by guides

Where dogs go: Dog-friendly tables outside

Time Out, Urban List and IsItDogFriendly report dogs allowed in an inside foyer area only, not the whole venue. Not checked on the venue's own site.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Bodriggy Brewing

The Retreat Hotel

Brunswick · 280 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056

Outside Venue says so
Inside Not stated

Where dogs go: Large beer garden

Venue describes the beer garden as 'very dog friendly'; it says nothing about indoors. PawScapes says dogs stay in the garden.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for The Retreat Hotel

The Edinburgh Castle

Brunswick · 681 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Sources disagree

Where dogs go: Turfed beer garden with covered seating

Sources disagree. East Brunswick Village says you can bring your dog indoors in winter. IsItDogFriendly says only guide and service dogs are allowed inside. The venue's accessibility page mentions guide and service dogs only. Treat indoors as no until the venue confirms otherwise.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for The Edinburgh Castle

Great Northern Hotel

Carlton North · 644 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North VIC 3054

Outside Venue says so
Inside Venue says outside only

Where dogs go: Beer garden (dogs enter and exit via the Pigdon Street gate)

Venue says dogs must use the beer garden gate 'due to health regulations'; only registered assistance animals may enter the bar and bistro.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Great Northern Hotel
Outside Venue says so
Inside Venue says outside only

Where dogs go: Beer Garden and Deck

Venue FAQ: dogs welcome in the Beer Garden and Deck (not the Beer Hall). The beer garden has a retractable roof that is closed on cold days; under the food rules, dogs aren't meant to be in an area while it is enclosed, so check on wet days.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Details for Stomping Ground Brewery & Beer Hall

Prince Patrick Hotel

Collingwood · 135 Victoria Parade, Collingwood VIC 3066

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Reported by guides

Where dogs go: Covered patio with water bowls

Urban List and IsItDogFriendly report dogs welcome inside and out; Time Out (Oct 2026) only mentions drinking outside. Not verified on the venue's own site, so confirm first.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Prince Patrick Hotel

The Fox Hotel

Collingwood · Corner of Wellington & Johnston Streets, Collingwood

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Not stated

Where dogs go: Courtyard and rooftop deck (both covered and heated)

Third-party guides say the courtyard and rooftop deck only. Parts may be booked for private functions.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for The Fox Hotel

Invergordon Bar

Docklands · 381 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008

Outside Not stated
Inside Not stated

Where dogs go: Not specified

Venue says 'well-behaved dogs welcome' but doesn't say which areas. It's a Scottish-style bar with BYO food.

1 source · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Invergordon Bar

Marquis of Lorne

Fitzroy · 411 George St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Reported by guides

Where dogs go: Tables outside (no traditional beer garden)

Time Out (Oct 2026), Urban List and IsItDogFriendly all report dogs welcome inside on the ground floor / public bar. We couldn't find this stated on the venue's own site. Indoor access conflicts with the current food rules, so confirm first.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Marquis of Lorne

The Rainbow Hotel

Fitzroy · 27 St David Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Not stated

Where dogs go: Covered courtyard / beer garden and deck

PawScapes says not inside the main bar or dining rooms. IsItDogFriendly says you can pick the dog-friendly area when booking online, with a maximum of two dogs per booking.

3 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for The Rainbow Hotel

The Standard Hotel

Fitzroy · 293 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy VIC 3065

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Not stated

Where dogs go: Leafy rear beer garden (retractable roof), dogs on a lead

Guides say beer garden only. The garden has a retractable roof; under the food rules, dogs aren't meant to be in an area while it is enclosed.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for The Standard Hotel

Monty's

Fitzroy North · 209 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North VIC 3068

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Reported by guides

Where dogs go: Covered courtyard (per search snippets)

Time Out (Oct 2026) says the bar 'welcomes man's best friend inside'. It's a neighbourhood bar rather than a pub.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Monty's

Huzzah

Glen Iris · 4 Paran Place, Glen Iris

Outside Reported by guides
Inside Not stated

Where dogs go: Mostly open-air beer garden with a bocce court

Broadsheet tags it 'Dog-Friendly' and 'Outdoor Area' but doesn't say which areas dogs can use.

1 source · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Huzzah

Caretaker's Cottage

Melbourne CBD · 139–141 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Outside Not stated
Inside Reported by guides

Where dogs go: Not specified

Time Out calls it '100 per cent pooch-friendly' with water bowls and dog beds; search snippets from directories say dogs are welcome inside. It's a small bar, so check whether food service changes things.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for Caretaker's Cottage

College Lawn Hotel

Prahran · 36 Greville St, Prahran VIC 3181

Outside Venue says so
Inside Venue says outside only

Where dogs go: Outdoor areas / beer garden; dogs on a lead at all times

Venue FAQ: dogs welcome 'in our outdoor areas'.

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for College Lawn Hotel

The Wharf Hotel

South Wharf / Docklands · 18–38 Siddeley Street, Melbourne VIC 3005

Outside Venue says so
Inside Venue says outside only

Where dogs go: Outdoor Garden Deck by the Yarra

Venue FAQ: 'Furry friends are allowed in Garden Deck area outside.'

2 sources · checked 21 Oct 2026
Directions Details for The Wharf Hotel

Check with the venue before you go. Policies change, areas get booked for functions, and covered areas may close to dogs when blinds or roofs are shut.

The rule: can dogs go inside a Victorian pub?

Not where food is handled or served, under the rules in force as of 21 October 2026. A venue may allow pet dogs in an outdoor dining area that isn't enclosed: not substantially closed by a roof plus walls or windows, even temporarily (think café blinds and a closed retractable roof), and reachable without walking through an enclosed area. Assistance animals must be allowed in all customer areas. Councils enforce this, often only after a complaint.

Sources: FSANZ: Animals · Yarra City Council · FSANZ variation P1018 (2012). General information, not legal advice.

Follow the dogs-in-pubs pledge →

Why trust this list?

  • Every place links its source: the venue's own site, a council page or a named guide.
  • “Venue says so” only when the venue itself states the policy. Everything else is labelled “Reported by guides”.
  • Dated. Each card shows when we checked. We aim to re-check every place within 120 days.
  • Not paid for by venues. Any partner links are labelled, with the commission disclosed.
  • We don't guess. If nobody says, it's “Not stated”. If sources clash, it's “Sources disagree”.

How we check · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

How we check

Taking your dog to the pub in Melbourne nearly always means the beer garden or courtyard. Victorian food-safety rules currently let pet dogs into unenclosed outdoor dining and drinking areas only, at the venue's discretion. Inside a pub that serves food, only assistance animals are allowed. The rule is explained on this page.

So we sort every venue by two questions:

  • Outside: has the venue said on its own site that dogs are welcome in its garden, courtyard or deck (Venue says so)? Or is that only stated by a reputable guide (Reported by guides)?
  • Inside: has the venue said dogs stay outside (Venue says outside only)? Is indoor access Reported by guides (unverified), Not stated anywhere we checked, or do the Sources disagree?

A few venues are reported to let dogs inside, usually in a front bar or foyer. Treat those reports with caution: they conflict with the current rules, councils enforce on complaint, and a venue can change its policy overnight. If Labor's dogs-in-pubs pledge becomes law after the November 2026 election, more pubs could let dogs inside, and we'll update this page.

We only list pubs with a source: the venue's own website, a reputable guide such as Time Out, Urban List or Broadsheet, or a dog-venue directory. “Venue says so” means the venue's own site states the policy. Everything else stays “Reported by guides” until a venue confirms it. Missing one? Suggest it, with a link if you can.