Swish Cafe

Swish Cafe sits on the main drag at 147 River Street, Ballina, with undercover footpath seating where dogs are welcome. Everything is made from scratch, the coffee has a strong local following, and the position puts you a short stroll from the Richmond River foreshore for a walk either side of breakfast.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the undercover outdoor seating on the footpath, kept on-leash. The indoor room is for diners only, in line with council rules for food premises. Staff have a chatty, friendly reputation with regulars and their dogs alike, but bring your own water bowl to be sure, especially in summer. The cover from the awning makes the tables workable on drizzly mornings too.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen runs breakfast and lunch all week: acai bowls, lamb salads, bacon and eggs and thick chocolate milkshakes get the mentions, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options handled well. Hours run from 7am to about 2:30pm on weekdays, a touch earlier on weekends, so it is a daytime proposition rather than an afternoon one.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along River Street and gets busy in the morning peak, with public car parks within easy walking distance. Ballina's town centre is flat and compact, so anywhere central is a short walk away.

Make a morning of it

The Richmond River path makes an easy on-leash loop from town, and the off-lead areas at Kingsford Smith Dog Park and Missingham Park are both handy for a proper run. The Kitchen Cafe is the other town-centre coffee stop with a dog welcome.

More options are on the Ballina destination page and in the NSW cafes index.