Longriders Cafe and Restaurant

Dwellingup is a forest town, and Longriders Cafe and Restaurant on McLarty St is where the trail crowd and the locals meet. The kitchen runs from breakfast through to pizza and burgers, with a steak sandwich that gets name-checked by visitors more than anything else on the menu, and the chips have their own following.

Dogs are welcomed on the shaded balcony and veranda seating, with fresh water bowls available on request. The welcome is reported by visitors and confirmed on the venue's Facebook page rather than set out as a formal policy, so it is worth confirming the outdoor tables are free when you arrive on a busy weekend. Dwellingup weekends get busy with riders, campers and families, and the veranda fills accordingly.

The cafe is closed Monday and Tuesday, then opens from 6:30am Wednesday through Sunday, trading later on Friday and Saturday until 5:30pm. McLarty St is the town's main street, with parking right out front and room for trailers and 4WDs pulling in off the forest roads. Plan around the closure: Sunday lunch is the last sitting of the week.

This is hearty country cafe food rather than fine dining: steak sandwiches, burgers, chips and pizza, with gluten free options across the menu. Staff get steady praise for being friendly, and the room handles muddy boots and riding gear without fuss. Coffee is solid rather than precious, and the kitchen moves quickly even when the trail buses roll in.

For dog owners the draw is simple: a shaded veranda in a town built around being outdoors means you can plan a full day here, morning walk, cafe lunch, afternoon trail, without ever leaving the dog in the car.

Make a day of it

Dwellingup's forest trails and the Dwellingup Dog Park are close by for exercise before lunch, and Blue Wren Cafe is the town's other dog-friendly coffee stop. If you are making a weekend of it, the Baden Powell Campground takes dogs and sits among the trees nearby. The Dwellingup guide has the rest.