Hey Day

Hey Day opens its doors at 5:30am on Bermagui Crescent in Buddina, a small cafe that has become the first stop of the day for many early risers heading to the beach. The menu leans on toasties and big sandos, including a well talked about reuben, and the coffee program is taken seriously enough that regulars comment on the tasting palette. It is a compact room, so most visits are quick, sunny and simple.

Local directories and visitor listings report that dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating area, so bring the lead and pick a spot out front. The team has a reputation for a warm welcome, and the cafe appears by name on dog friendly lists for the Kawana stretch of the Sunshine Coast.

First light coffee

Trading hours run from 5:30am to 1pm every day of the week, which makes Hey Day one of the earliest pours in the area. That early window matters if you are combining breakfast with a walk: the cafe sits close to the Kawana foreshore, and the crowd through the door is a mix of surfers, dog walkers and shift workers grabbing coffee before the sun is fully up. The venue also hosts wine nights from time to time, so check its Instagram for evening events, which are a separate booking from the morning trade.

Make a day of it

Point Cartwright is the obvious pairing: the Point Cartwright Walkway starts nearby and follows the coastline past the lighthouse. Two off leash options sit close by as well, with the northern end of Buddina's dog beach and the off leash section between accesses 210 and 217 both a short drive away. If you want a second coffee stop, Little Miss Saine and Sunday Coffee are both in Buddina and both welcome dogs outside.

Park in the street parking around Bermagui Crescent, arrive early on weekends because the queue moves fast but the room is small, and check the cafe's Instagram for wine night dates before planning an evening return.