O'GABEE & Co Coffee Roastery Birkdale

O'GABEE & Co Coffee Roastery sits in the Birkdale Fair Shopping Centre at Shop 14, 2 Mary Pleasant Drive, roasting its own beans on site and serving a steady stream of locals seven days a week. The name is a nod to the founder's border collie GaBee, which sets the tone: dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating around the shopfront, and the roastery's signature roasts carry the dog theme too.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the open-air seating outside the cafe, not indoors, and they stay on lead while you eat. The tables spread across the footpath area directly outside the shop, most of them under cover, so there is room to settle a dog without blocking the shopping centre foot traffic. Staff are accommodating with dogs at the tables; water provisions are usually on hand but it is worth carrying your own bowl on busier mornings.

Roasted on site

The draw is the coffee: this is a working roastery, with blends roasted in house and a flat white that gets singled out by regulars. The food menu runs to bacon and eggs, bruschetta, smoothies and a range of vegetarian-friendly plates. Hours are 7:30am to 2:30pm Monday to Friday, stretching to 3pm on weekends. Reviewers regularly note polite staff, though waits can stretch when the centre is busy, so a weekday visit is the calmer option for a dog that prefers quiet.

Getting there and parking

Birkdale Fair has free parking directly out front and level access to the outdoor tables, which makes arrivals with a dog straightforward. The centre is off Mary Pleasant Drive, a short drive from Birkdale station for anyone coming by train.

Make a day of it

Two fenced dog parks sit close by in Birkdale. Valantine Park Fenced Dog Park on Valantine Road has separate small and large dog areas, an airlock gate and a water tap, and Three Paddocks Park Fenced Dog Park on Thomas Street is a newer enclosed run. Redland City Council rules apply at both: carry a leash, keep dogs away from playground equipment, and check trees for koalas before letting a dog off lead.

If you are heading bayside afterwards, Andonis Cafe & Bar in Manly runs a dedicated pet menu about ten minutes away. More options are on the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and the Birkdale destination page.