The Hum

The Hum sits on Bay Street directly opposite Main Beach, and the outdoor tables face the sand. For dog owners the equation is simple: an early beach walk, then acai bowls and coffee with the dog at your feet while the morning crowds filter past. It is a wholefoods cafe with high energy and a short menu done well.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating, on lead, tucked in close to your table. Indoors is off-limits, but the open-air setup is easy and there is usually shade to be had. Water bowls are generally on hand or a request away, though in a beach-side hub this busy a collapsible bowl of your own is worth carrying. The footpath traffic is constant, so a dog that can lie flat and switch off will both enjoy it more and earn more pats.

Worth knowing

The menu is built around açai and smoothie bowls, protein and granola bowls, avo toast and good coffee, with the brisket burger as the curveball for anyone who thinks wholefoods means joyless. It is a daytime operation: doors open around 6:45am and the kitchen wraps by 2pm, so it is breakfast and lunch only. Peak season mornings run hot; 7am is the calm window.

Getting there and parking

The address is 2/14 Bay Street (2481), central and across from the beach. Metered parking on Bay Street is tight at any civilised hour; the library car park and the Marvell Street end are the realistic fallbacks, and in Byron terms walking in from further out is usually faster than circling for a spot.

Make a day of it

Main Beach itself is on-lead, but Belongil Beach South dog exercise area is a short walk north for the off-lead run. For other dog-friendly tables in town, Leaf & Grain and Wide Open Road Cafe both take dogs outdoors.

Find more dog friendly cafes in NSW at pawscapes.com.au/cafes/state/nsw and plan the town at Byron Bay.