Appelflap Cafe

Appelflap Cafe sits inside Dru Point Bicentennial Park in Margate, a few steps from the fenced dog exercise area, making it the most convenient coffee stop in the Kingborough area for a park-based dog run. Seating is outdoors only, in a beer-garden-style space overlooking the park and water, and the cafe opens from 10am daily, closing mid afternoon, 2pm on weekdays and 3pm on weekends.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables on a lead. The indoor area is the food-service counter, so keep your dog at the tables outside. Water bowls are commonly out around the park grounds, and there is no dedicated dog menu, but the two-minute stroll from the fenced dog park to the tables is about as short a walk-and-coffee combo as it gets.

Worth knowing

The namesake appelflap is the draw, a Dutch pastry filled with apple, raisins and cinnamon under a crunchy sugar crust. The savoury side runs to gourmet hot dogs, house-made soups, burgers and toasted sandwiches, with the kimchi and Swiss cheese on rye a regular special, plus ice cream for the walk back. On Wednesday nights the cafe runs its In the Park After Dark evening with food, drinks and music.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is off Dru Point Road within the Margate park precinct, with plentiful free parking in the park and a flat, easy walk from the car park to the tables. It is a community spot rather than a quiet hideaway, so expect walkers and families on sunny weekends.

Close by with the dogs

The Dru Point Fenced Dog Park is the obvious pairing, a fenced off-leash loop with agility equipment and a puppy area. Clarks Beach down the road adds a sand leg to the outing, and Waterview Gardens B&B is the overnight option if you are staying in Margate.

More options are on the Tasmania dog friendly cafes guide and the Margate destination page.

Pepsi: a lap of the fenced loop next door, then a table outside while the humans argue over the last appelflap. The whole park smells like other dogs and that is basically heaven.