Fresh Point Cafe. Nightcliff

Fresh Point Cafe at Shop 1, 69 Progress Drive is a Nightcliff local favourite for breakfast and fresh juice, and dogs are part of the regular crowd on its veranda. It opens 7am to 3pm every day of the week, and the Nightcliff foreshore path is a short walk away, which is exactly why so many visits start with a lead-on walk and end here.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on the outdoor veranda and surrounding outdoor seating, on lead; the indoor room is for humans. Water bowls get put out for dogs and treats have been offered to visiting pets. The veranda is a tight, popular space, so tuck your dog in beside the table, and confirm the rules at the counter if you are arriving with more than one dog.

What to order

The pancakes carry a local reputation as some of the best in Darwin, and the avocado smash, pesto chicken pasta and grilled chicken salad keep the savoury side honest. Drinks are the other headline: freshly squeezed orange juice, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, specialty lattes and a line of thick freak shakes. The all-day menu also runs to breakfast burritos, burgers and daily chef specials.

Getting there and the foreshore rules

Street parking is generally available on Progress Drive and nearby side streets, though it fills early on weekend mornings; grab a veranda table before the foreshore walkers roll in. The paved foreshore path runs about 2.5 kilometres from Nightcliff Jetty toward the Rapid Creek footbridge, and City of Darwin rules keep dogs on lead on these shared paths, with a two-metre leash limit. Note that dogs are not allowed on the sandy foreshore beaches or mudflats, partly because of crocodile risk, and stay clear of the playground and BBQ precincts. For an off-lead session, the fenced Lakeside Drive Fenced Dog Park at Alawa is a short drive inland.

The same team runs Fresh Point Co. Parap, and Ruby G's Canteen is another dog-friendly stop nearby. More options are on the Nightcliff destination page and in the NT cafes index.