FunnyBone Coffee

FunnyBone Coffee sits beside Buckler Park on Emerald Drive in Helensvale, and the pairing is the whole point: an alfresco cafe that looks straight onto open grass and one of the area's bigger playgrounds. It pours local-favourite Blackboard Coffee and runs a broad breakfast and lunch menu, and it has quickly become the family-and-dog stop for this pocket of the Gold Coast northern suburbs.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating, and the venue is listed as pet friendly with alfresco dining across the cafe directories. Tables are spaced enough for a dog to settle beside you while keeping an eye on the park action, and reviewers mention dogs being made much of. Ask the team about pup treats when you order, and bring your own water bowl as backup on busy mornings. Indoor seating is humans-only.

The vibe

Relaxed, family-first and cheerful, with smashed avo, eggs benedict and a karaage chicken breakfast doing the heavy lifting, plus gluten-free and vegan options. Doors open 7am daily, running to 1pm most days and 2pm on Friday and Saturday. Weekday mornings are the calm window; weekends belong to the playground crowd, so come early for a quiet table.

Getting there

The cafe is at 6 Emerald Drive in The Surrounds precinct, with street parking around Emerald Drive and the park. It is a quiet residential pocket, so parking is generally easy even on weekends, and Helensvale station and the light rail are a short drive away.

Make a day of it

Buckler Park's grass is right there for a leg stretch, and the off-lead area at Mangrove Jack Park is the proper run nearby, with the fenced Xenia Park Fenced Dog Park as the secure option. For the local coffee lap, Three tree frogs Helensvale and Pi & Pine Cafe are the other dog-friendly stops.

More of the northern Gold Coast is on the Helensvale destination page and the Queensland cafes list.