Tarte Bakery & Cafe

Tarte Bakery & Cafe sits on the corner of James Street and the Gold Coast Highway in the middle of Burleigh Heads, a French-meets-New-York bakery with a serious pastry cabinet and a brunch menu to match. For dog owners the draw is the spacious outdoor seating: well-behaved dogs are welcome at the footpath and patio tables while the pastry queue rolls on inside.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor footpath and patio tables, not inside the bakery, which is reserved for service animals on food-safety grounds. Staff are used to dogs and water bowls are often on hand, though it is worth carrying your own on a hot Gold Coast morning. Keep your dog leashed and settled at your feet; the corner is busy with foot traffic and the area is prime people-watching territory for everyone else too.

Max: This corner gets loud and crowded at weekend peak. If your dog is noise-shy, grab a table at the quieter end or come before 8am.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen blends Parisian technique with New York deli attitude: house-made butter and almond croissants, rotating creations like the twice-baked pistachio croissant and cruffins, loaded New York-style bagels, miso scrambled eggs, Turkish eggs and bagel benedicts, plus sausage rolls and strawberry tarts that sell out fast. It runs 6:30am to 3pm daily and is walk-in only, so expect a wait at weekend peak; early arrival is the whole trick here.

Getting there and parking

Street parking on James and Connor Streets fills quickly, but there is a free two-hour lot behind the Coles on Connor Street, and beachfront street parking a short walk away. The cafe is on the light rail and bus routes, and the James Street precinct is walkable once you arrive.

Fold the stop into a proper outing: the off-leash sand at Tallebudgera dog beach is a short drive south, the fenced run at Melaleuca dog park is nearby in Palm Beach, and Caffeination Burleigh is another dog-friendly cafe option in the suburb.

More of the area's dog-friendly venues are on the Burleigh Heads destination page, with the full state list in the QLD cafes index.