Pony@Moana

Pony@Moana sits right on the Esplanade at Moana, a beachside beer garden poured by the Prancing Pony Brewery crew. It is the kind of stop that works both ways: a post-swim beer and pizza with the dog stretched out under the table, or a late afternoon session when the live music starts and the sea breeze rolls in off the sand. Parking runs along the Esplanade and the side streets behind it, with the beachside car park an easy walk from the gate.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the beachside outdoor beer garden, a policy the brewery flagged on its Instagram when the venue opened alongside the neighbouring Deep Blue Cafe. The Fold also lists it as pet friendly on enquiry, and locals report staff are easygoing about well behaved dogs at the outdoor tables. The kitchen keeps it simple and generous, with pizza, chips and a tap list that leans towards the Prancing Pony range.

Timing matters more than usual here. The venue opens from Wednesday afternoon, runs late on Friday and Saturday nights, and keeps Sunday sessions going from midday until 6pm. Monday and Tuesday are closed. For dog owners the sweet spot is the weekend lunch window, when the outdoor tables are relaxed and the beach across the road is at its busiest with walkers. On warm days pick a shaded table and ask staff for a water bowl, because the beer garden catches full sun through the middle of the day.

Make a day of it

Moana Beach Tourist Park sits right on the foreshore, so a morning on the sand slides neatly into lunch here. For a coffee stop on another day, DUKE'S Cafe is the other dog friendly option in the suburb. Planning a longer southern beaches run? The South Australian dog friendly cafe list and the Moana guide cover the rest.