Hudson & Rosie's Table

Hudson & Rosie's Table is the brunch institution of the Highland Park Plaza at Shop 16/106 Alexander Drive on the Gold Coast, trading 6:30am to 2pm weekdays and 7am to 1:30pm weekends. The setting is a light-filled timber deck and verandah dressed in hanging plants, and that alfresco space is exactly where the dog policy lives.

The dog setup

Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome on the outdoor deck and verandah, and staff are known for making a fuss of visiting dogs rather than just allowing them. This is a busy, popular cafe with a strong regular following, so keep your dog tucked close to your table and out of the staff run between kitchen and deck. Ask for a water bowl on arrival, the team will sort one out.

Worth knowing

The menu is a broad all-day brunch and lunch list with genuine dietary coverage: vegetarian, gluten-free and plant-based dishes sit next to the famous salted caramel popcorn pancakes, acai bowls, zucchini fritters and a cheeseburger toastie. There are Asian-influenced plates too, and Gabriel Coffee drives the drinks list alongside smoothies, juices and a licensed bar. High tea runs on weekdays by advance booking, a popular format for celebrations. Weekend mornings are the peak, so arrive early or come on a weekday for a calmer deck.

Getting there and parking

The plaza sits on Alexander Drive in residential Highland Park, with free onsite parking directly outside. The deck fills fast on Saturdays, so a 7am start gives you the pick of tables with a dog beside you.

Close by with the dogs

Highland Park itself is mostly residential, so for an off-lead run head to the fenced dog park at Kamholtz Family Park in Nerang a few minutes up the road. For another dog-friendly coffee in the area, Chanoyu Cafe in Nerang and Pete's on Upton in Bundall both make easy follow-up stops.

Pepsi: the pancakes earn the hype, and the deck at 7am on a Sunday is the calmest window to enjoy them with a dog at your feet.

More options around the suburb sit in the Highland Park guide.