Fishwicks

Fishwicks is a long-standing coastal cafe and fish and chippery on The Lake Circuit at Culburra Beach, a couple of hundred metres from the sand, run by chef Gary Fishwick. It has been a staple for local dog walkers for years, and the outdoor tables make that obvious from the street.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor and footpath tables, with water bowls and taps usually on hand outside. Indoors is reserved for certified assistance dogs under standard NSW food rules, so keep the lead short and the dog tucked in by your chair.

The vibe

Straightforward food done well: local coffee, breakfast rolls and burritos through the day, and battered fish, chips and salt-and-pepper calamari from the kitchen. It is also notably good for gluten-free eaters, with much of the lunch menu adaptable, plus house-baked friands and muffins. It opens daily from 6.30am to 4pm, so early beach walks feed straight into breakfast here.

Pepsi: order the salt and pepper calamari and park the dog on the shaded side of the table. The turnover is quick and nobody lingers, so an early sitting is easy.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits at Unit 1/77 The Lake Circuit, central to town, with street parking on The Lake Circuit and nearby streets. It tightens on peak holiday weekends, so come early in January.

While you are out there

Crookhaven Heads is a short drive for an open-sand walk, and Frankies Coffee Van at the Burradise community space is the other dog-friendly coffee stop in town. For a fenced run, the Greenwell Point Fenced Dog Park is nearby.

More options are on the NSW dog friendly cafes guide and the Culburra Beach destination page.