Backstreet Cafe

Backstreet Cafe sits right on the Mooloolaba Esplanade, a few steps from the sand, doing early-opening coffee and classic brunch for the beach crowd. The outdoor tables take dogs, which makes it the obvious stop before or after a walk along the foreshore with the lead already clipped on.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor and footpath seating, including the Lemon Tree Lane section at the side; indoor tables are for people only, so plan on sitting out. Staff are used to beach-walking dogs and will usually bring out a water bowl, though on hot mornings it pays to carry your own collapsible one. Keep your dog leashed and tucked in beside the chair, because the esplanade foot traffic is constant.

The vibe

This is a casual coastal cafe rather than a white-tablecloth affair. The kitchen leans on the classics: eggs benedict, corn fritters, smashed avo and pancakes, with burgers covering the later orders. Feedback repeatedly singles out the staff as friendly and welcoming, and the ocean view from the outdoor seats does the rest. Doors open from 5:30am on weekdays, which suits the pre-work beach crowd and early dog walkers alike.

Max: swim first, benedict second. The esplanade has its priorities straight.

Getting there and parking

You will find it at Shop 3, 121 Mooloolaba Esplanade, on the beachside strip at Mooloolaba. Parking along the esplanade and the side streets behind it is metered and fills fast on summer weekends, so arriving early is genuinely useful. Local buses stop along Brisbane Road, a short walk inland.

Close by with the dogs

The boardwalk from Alexandra Headland to the Mooloolaba foreshore lands you almost at the door, and the Point Cartwright Walkway adds a longer coastal leg if you want the miles. For another dog-friendly table in the suburb, the Cottage Cafe is a quiet backstreet counterpoint to the esplanade bustle.

Broader picks sit in the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and the Mooloolaba destinations page.