Cafe Rafaele

Cafe Rafaele sits at 19 Havelock Avenue, a couple of minutes' walk back from Coogee Beach, and it runs a large outdoor space that comfortably takes dogs. It is an easy stop before or after a beach walk rather than a destination in its own right, and the roomy setup is what sets it apart from the squeeze of the beachfront strip.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor area, which is generous by cafe standards, so there is room for a settled dog beside your table rather than a footpath squeeze. Indoors is for people only. Staff are used to dogs; ask at the counter if you need a water bowl rather than assuming one is out. Breakfast and lunch run daily from 7:30am to 3pm, with dinner Thursday to Saturday.

Pepsi: a big outdoor table, a croissant and a lead looped around the chair. Back-from-the-beach Coogee suits me fine.

The vibe

The kitchen leans French: croque monsieur, crepes with lemon sugar, croissants and poached eggs, with steak frites and mussels appearing later in the day. Coffee is the draw for most regulars. Weekend mornings fill with the beach crowd, so the outdoor tables go early; weekday mid-morning is the calm window for a dog that prefers quieter company.

Getting there and parking

Find it on Havelock Avenue, one block back from the Coogee Bay Road hub. Street parking in the surrounding blocks is timed and tight on summer weekends; arriving on foot from the beach or the coastal path is the easy option. Coogee is flat and walkable from any of the beachside streets.

Close by with the dogs

Dog-friendly tables nearby include Bunny Slope Cafe and Coffee and Cactus up the hill in Randwick, Seasalt Clovelly on the northern headland and Chalk Espresso Bar toward Maroubra.

More options are on the NSW cafes list or in the Randwick guide.