The Pavement Society

The Pavement Society is a small coffee and toastie bar on Main Road in Boolaroo, and the person behind the counter is a dog person first. Owner Abby spent years managing specialty coffee shops in Melbourne before bringing her own counter to Lake Macquarie, and her regulars include a steady stream of walkers and their dogs.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the picnic tables that take over the walkway out front, which keeps the whole experience on the pavement rather than inside the tiny shop. The strip gets a steady flow of pedestrians, so the leash stays on and short. Staff are happy to offer pats and there are usually water bowls on hand on warmer mornings. It is a counter-service spot, so you order first and settle in at a table while the toastie does its thing.

The vibe

The coffee comes from Melbourne roaster Dimattina, pulled through a statement khaki green machine, and the food menu is built around a rotating line-up of toasties, including a ham and cheese and a pumpkin version that regulars order by habit. The shop doubles as a candle and dried floral retailer under Abby's Ohana By Abby label, so there is browsing to do while your coffee cools. Hours run early: weekdays from 6am to 2:30pm, weekends from 7am to 12:30pm.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits at 38 Main Road, Boolaroo, on the suburb's main strip, easy to spot thanks to its off-white exterior. Street parking is available on Main Road and the side streets nearby, and the position works well as a stop folded into a Lake Macquarie foreshore walk rather than a destination on its own.

Close by with the dogs

For a proper run before or after coffee, Speers Point's fenced dog park is a short drive up the road, and Harry and Lola's inside Speers Point Park is another dog-forward cafe worth pairing with the water. In Boolaroo itself, Hippy Java is the other local option if the tables are full.

Max: Claim a picnic table early on weekends, this strip fills up fast once the morning walkers arrive.

More dog friendly cafes across the state are listed in the New South Wales cafe guide, or browse Boolaroo for what else is nearby.