Aperitivo Cafe

Aperitivo is an Italian cafe and panini bar at 8 Thrower Drive in Currumbin, in the little food pocket near Currumbin Creek. It opens at 6am and runs on house-made panini, Roman-style pizza and proper coffee, which makes it a natural first stop after an early walk or swim with the dog.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the kerbside outdoor tables; inside stays people only. The seating is compact, so a dog that settles under the chair works best once the morning rush arrives. Water bowls are generally around but bringing your own is the safe play on a busy weekend. Order at the counter and grab the table with the best street view for a dog that likes to watch traffic.

Worth knowing

The kitchen is the draw: signature panini like the caprese and the prosciutto di Parma, a meatball sub on house-made meatballs and Napoli sauce, and a verdure that goes vegan on request. There are arancini, lasagne and eggplant parmigiana, plus ricotta cannoli, sfogliatelle and tiramisu for after. Coffee is good and cold Peroni or an Aperol spritz covers the later hours. Monitors and Tuesdays close at 11am, other days run to 2pm, so it is strictly a daytime stop.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along Thrower Drive with extra spaces behind the cafe. If you are already down by the creek it is an easy walk, and the boardwalks along the water make a flat on-lead loop before or after breakfast.

Close by with the dogs

Currumbin Creek is a short stroll away for a leg stretch. For other dog-friendly tables, Cafe by the Bridge sits on the water a few minutes up the road, with Barefoot Barista and Kinship also nearby.

More options are on the QLD dog friendly cafes guide and the Currumbin destination page.

Pepsi: go before 8am and the kerbside tables are quiet, with the panini press already working and the creek path to yourself.