The Brightside Cafe

The Brightside Cafe sits right on the sand at Mona Vale Surf Club, at 1 Surfview Road on Sydney's Northern Beaches, so coffee comes with a straight-on view of the beach and a footpath stream of dogs finishing their morning walk. It is a low fuss stop rather than a destination, which is exactly what you want with sandy paws.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the covered outdoor seating at the front of the cafe; the indoor tables are people only. Water bowls are put out and the counter usually keeps dog treats on hand. Staff are used to dogs underfoot and the mood stays relaxed even when the queue stretches, which it does on weekend mornings.

The vibe

Coffee comes from Nine Yards, and the kitchen covers a solid brunch menu with vegetarian and gluten free options. Regulars order the brown rice bowls, chilli scrambled eggs, haloumi and the banana bread. Doors open at 6:30am and service wraps up around 3pm daily, with the kitchen closing an hour before, so an early surf-and-breakfast run is the natural rhythm here.

Getting there and parking

The cafe is directly opposite Mona Vale Beach. A paid public car park sits across the road, with limited street parking on Surfview Road that fills fast on weekend mornings. Arrive before 8am with a dog in the car and you will get a spot and a table.

Max: Beach across the road, treats at the counter, and a steady parade of dogs to watch. Easy morning.

Close by with the dogs

Mona Vale Beach is right across the road, and the southern end currently runs a council off leash trial with time windows that shift with daylight savings, so check Northern Beaches Council signage before unclipping. For another coffee with outdoor tables, SEE SEA CAFE is a short drive south at Warriewood, and Modus Brewing pours dog friendly beers closer to town. Newport Park Fenced Dog Park covers the off lead run.

More ideas on our list of dog friendly cafes in New South Wales, or browse what else suits dogs around Mona Vale.