Espressions cafe

Espressions is a small, weekday-only cafe at shop 4, 12 Executive Drive in Burleigh Waters, pouring Merlo coffee and building a local following around healthy, well-priced breakfast plates and acai bowls. It is explicitly dog-friendly, which is a good thing because there is nowhere else quite like it in this light-commercial pocket on a weekday morning.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the alfresco seating alongside their owners, and the staff have a reputation for being genuinely accommodating, water bowls included. A collapsible bowl is still the safe bet on a hot morning. Keep the lead on and your dog settled beside the table; the space is a modest shopfront strip rather than a big courtyard. Reviews suggest the covered area is often fine for dogs too, so ask on the day if the sun is up.

Max: weekday mornings only, remember. The 6am to 2pm window and closed weekends catch out visitors who assume Gold Coast cafe hours.

Worth knowing

The menu leans wholesome: acai bowls, smoothies, mushrooms on toast and solid coffee from a La Marzocco machine. Reviewers consistently rate the value and the friendliness of the team. It is quietest mid-morning once the office rush clears.

Getting there and parking

Executive Drive runs through a light-commercial pocket of Burleigh Waters, with free street parking nearby and step-free entry, easy for older dogs. Burleigh Heads beachfront and the national park are a five minute drive east.

While you're out there

Pair breakfast with a run at Robina Common Fenced Dog Park, the closest secure off-leash option, or a leashed loop around the Burleigh Headland. For weekend plans when Espressions is shut, Tarte Bakery & Cafe and Home Plate Kitchen are nearby cafes with outdoor tables.

More options are in the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and on the Burleigh Waters destination page.