Two Palms Coffee

Two Palms Coffee is a small coffee hut on Alexandra Parade, directly across from Alexandra Headland beach on the Sunshine Coast. It opens at 5:30am, which makes it the first stop for the early surf-and-walk crowd, and it shuts at 11am on weekdays and 11:30am on weekends, so it is strictly a morning call. Visitors report dog friendly outdoor beachside seating and free dog treats with a purchase, a touch few cafes at any price point bother with. Locals time their walks to the opening, and the line out front at 7am tells the story.

Order at the window, take a spot out front, and the beach and its dog-walking crowd supply the entertainment. The smoothies have a following of their own beyond the coffee, and the team gets repeated praise for being friendly to both ends of the leash. This is a hole-in-the-wall operation rather than a sit-down venue, which is exactly what a pre-work beach walk needs.

Worth knowing

Because it closes before midday, plan Two Palms as the start of an outing rather than the finish. Seating is limited to what a hut this size can offer, so the 7am to 9am window can mean standing room; the footpath strip across from the sand is the overflow. Parking along Alexandra Parade moves quickly early but tightens after 8am, and the sand directly opposite is the reward while the order is being made.

Make a day of it

Alex Headland is compact enough to walk end to end. Francis Bean is the sit-down cafe option up the parade if you are still going at midday, and the Alexandra Headlands Hotel covers the other end of the day. Our Alexandra Headland guide and the Queensland cafe list fill out the Sunshine Coast picture.