Blu Marlin Bistro

Blu Marlin Bistro runs breakfast and lunch every day on the boardwalk level of the Reef Fleet Terminal at 1a Spence Street, looking straight across the marina to Trinity Inlet. It opens at 6am and closes at 2pm daily, which makes it both an early-riser's feed and a natural last coffee before a reef tour or a long walk on the Esplanade.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome across the big covered outdoor seating area; inside stays humans-only under Queensland food rules. The alfresco deck is roomy and shaded, so there is real space to settle a dog beside the table rather than squeezing it between chairs. Water bowls are easy to come by from the staff, but a travel bowl saves asking on a busy morning. Weekends around nine fill up with pre-tour crowds, so book ahead if you want a specific waterside table.

Max: go at seven, take the corner table on the rail, and the dog gets the breeze plus a front-row seat to every dog walking the boardwalk.

Worth knowing

The menu is all-day breakfast territory: eggs benedict, acai bowls, fish and chips later on, plus vegetarian and gluten-free options. Service moves quickly because half the room is heading to a boat, so it works better for a solid sit-down than a lingering brunch.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits at boardwalk level by the Reef Fleet Terminal. Paid parking is in the terminal car park with some street parking on Spence Street, and it is an easy flat walk from anywhere along the Esplanade. It is directly on the main Esplanade walking path, so dog access on foot is simple.

While you're out there

The Esplanade runs for kilometres past the door with foreshore walks in both directions. If you want a second stop, Guyala Cafe up on the Esplanade edge takes leashed dogs outdoors too, and Lillipad Cafe is another CBD option with a courtyard.

More options are in the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and on the Cairns City destination page.