Chalk Espresso Bar

Chalk Espresso Bar sits at 45 McKeon Street, a short stroll up from the Maroubra Beach promenade, and it makes no secret of where dogs stand: free biscuits behind the counter, water bowls out the front and pavement tables that actively welcome them. It opens at 6am every day, running to 3pm weekdays and 8:30pm on weekends, when dinner service takes over.

The dog setup

Dogs settle at the pavement and alfresco tables out front, where staff keep a stash of complimentary dog biscuits and fresh water bowls. The beach culture crowd of surfers, families and dog owners means a dog under the table is the norm, not the exception. Keep your dog leashed and clear of the footpath between the street and the tables, and ask at the counter for the biscuit, they are not left out for self service.

Pepsi: A cafe that keeps biscuits behind the counter is my kind of morning stop. Do a lap of the beachfront first, then cash in.

Worth knowing

The coffee is a proper specialty pour, and the all day menu runs from corn fritters and eggs benedict to poke bowls and gluten free options. Friday Taco Night from 4pm adds wine and cocktails to a cafe that otherwise closes mid afternoon on weekdays. The one hard rule for dog owners: Maroubra Beach sand itself is a no dog zone, so keep walks to the promenade and the reserves behind it.

Getting there and parking

Street parking runs along McKeon Street and the surrounding blocks, with the usual restricted and paid zones to check on signs. On a sunny weekend, walking in from the beachfront is simpler than driving, and the cafe is an easy detour straight off the coastal path.

Close by with the dogs

Behind the beach, Broadarrow Reserve is a council designated off leash area, though it is not yet listed here, so check Randwick council signage for boundaries. The Coogee to North End Maroubra Beach trail covers the clifftop walk north, and Coogee Dog Park plus Firmstone Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Pagewood cover the run options. For a second coffee, The Burrow Cafe welcomes dogs indoors and out over on Bunnerong Road.

More of the east is mapped in dog friendly cafes in New South Wales, with the suburb's spots in our Maroubra guide.