Tods Cafe

Tods Cafe sits on Mandurah Terrace facing the estuary, and it has become one of the city's reliable all day kitchens, open seven days from seven in the morning until five. Dog owners get a clear answer here too: the cafe's own FAQ states dogs are welcome at the Mandurah Terrace cafe on the Boardwalk, with the alfresco deck putting you metres from the water while you eat.

One detail matters before you go: the welcome applies to the Mandurah Terrace venue only. The cafe also runs a Halls Head location, and its own site is explicit that dogs are not permitted there because of the alfresco design. With a dog in tow, head straight for the Terrace side and take the outdoor tables, which is where the estuary views are anyway.

The vibe

The menu is broad breakfast and lunch fare done properly: steak sandwich and fish and chips anchor the savoury end, eggs Florentine with smoked salmon heads the breakfast list, and the coffee gets its share of praise. Because it opens at seven every day, it is a natural first stop after an early walk along the eastern foreshore, and the kitchen keeps serving through the afternoon so you are not racing a lunch cutoff. Weekend middays are the busy window, and the outdoor deck is not huge, so earlier is better with a dog.

Pair it with

Mandurah has plenty more dog friendly tables if you are making a day of the foreshore. Murphy's Irish Pub is the classic dog friendly dinner stop, Flics Kitchen covers the modern cafe restaurant end, and Perchd is a favourite for coffee by the water. The Mandurah destination guide and the WA dog friendly cafes list will fill in the rest.