The Whole Leaf

The Whole Leaf is a whole-foods cafe on a sunny corner at 16 Waterloo Street, Narrabeen, just off Pittwater Road and out of the main traffic. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, which makes it a natural stop either side of a lap of the lagoon.

The dog setup

Dogs sit with you in the outdoor seating area, and staff have an easygoing attitude toward them. Water bowls are not a confirmed fixture, so pack your own for a post-walk drink and keep the dog tucked clear of the footpath.

Pepsi: open from 6am on weekdays, so this is an early-dog cafe. Arrive before 7:30am and you will have the corner to yourself, a calm dog, and nobody queueing behind you.

The vibe

The kitchen leans healthy: salads, Vietnamese-style bowls, smoked salmon avo, smoothies and a vegetarian and vegan range, with properly made coffee. It is relaxed rather than scene-y, drawing walkers, surfers and locals through the morning until the 2pm close.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits in a residential pocket off Pittwater Road with street parking that fills on weekend mornings. Buses along Pittwater Road stop nearby, and the lagoon edge is a short walk away.

Weekdays are the calm window, with weekend breakfast the busiest stretch. If the outdoor tables are taken, the wait is usually short because turnover is quick and the kitchen closes early.

Make a day of it

The flat Narrabeen Lagoon Loop is the obvious warm-up, on lead the whole way, and Progress Park in North Narrabeen adds off-lead space with creek access. FOUR Knots Cafe is the fallback coffee if the corner is full.

More options are on the New South Wales dog friendly cafes guide and the Narrabeen destination page.