Chut & Co

Chut & Co is a bright community cafe in the Mermaid Plaza complex at 2400 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, pouring ONA coffee over a solid breakfast and lunch menu. It opens early, 5:45am on weekdays to 2:30pm and 5:45am to 12:30pm on weekends, and unlike most cafes it publishes its welcome to dogs outright, so there is no guessing at the door.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the generous outdoor seating that wraps around the cafe, sitting in the casual plaza forecourt with room for a dog to settle beside your chair. Water bowls are provided, and the staff are used to locals rolling in straight from a morning walk.

Indoors is kept for people, so plan on an outside table. That is no hardship here: the plaza setting is the more comfortable side of the cafe anyway, and the forecourt keeps a dog away from the coffee queue.

Worth knowing

The menu covers eggs benedict, bacon and egg rolls, smashed avo, pancake tacos and fresh croissants, and the coffee comes from premium roaster ONA. The room has a relaxed, slightly retro feel with genuinely friendly service.

Getting there

The address is 2400 Gold Coast Highway, in the Mermaid Plaza complex. The real advantage for dog owners is the free underground parking, which removes the usual highway parking scramble. Mid morning on a weekday is when the outdoor tables are calmest.

Make a day of it

Mermaid Beach is a short walk away for a lead stroll before or after coffee, and check the City of Gold Coast signage for where and when dogs are allowed on the sand. For a proper run, Pizzey Park Fenced Dog Park in Mermaid Waters is a few minutes inland, or make The Holliday. Coffee your second stop in the same suburb.

More options are on the Queensland dog friendly cafe guide and the Mermaid Beach destination page.