The Griff Coffee Bar

The Griff Coffee Bar sits on Wendouree Drive on the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore in Parkes, a specialty coffee bar built around the after-walk coffee. The cart has traded lakeside for over two decades under its former name Burley Grind, and it stands near the National Carillon and the Boundless Playground. Seating is entirely open air on a grassy embankment under shady trees, with the water in front of you and Black Mountain across the lake.

The dog setup

With no indoor dining, there is no indoor dog question to settle: every table is outdoors on the grass. Water bowls are stationed around the cart area, and the team puts out complimentary house-made dog treats, which regulars mention often. Keep your dog on lead; ACT rules require a leash of up to two metres on the lake foreshores and shared paths, and dogs must stay ten metres clear of playground equipment.

Pepsi: House-made treats and a shady patch of grass by the water is about as good as a coffee stop gets. Time it for the end of your lakeside lap so everyone has earned it.

The vibe

The draw is serious coffee, quick service and an unpretentious pit stop feel. The menu is concise: barista coffee, hot chocolates, cold drinks and a grab-and-go shelf of pastries and light snacks rather than a full kitchen. It is one of the more genuinely dog-led stops on the lake, and the treats are part of the reason people plan their walk to finish here. Hours are Monday, Thursday and Friday 8am to 1pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am to 2pm, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Getting there and parking

The bar faces Wendouree Drive, where street parking runs along the foreshore and fills early on weekends, so arrive before mid morning. Most visitors arrive on foot from a lap, since the lake walking and cycling paths pass the door.

Nearby with the dogs

The Bridge to Bridge Loop starts within an easy walk, and timing it to end at the Griff is the classic local move. For a fenced run before coffee, Yarralumla Dog Park is the nearest dedicated off-leash park. Beess & Co Cafe in Yarralumla runs a proper dog menu with puppuccinos, and Walter Cafe is the other cafe fixture in Parkes itself.

More dog-friendly stops around the lake are listed on the Parkes destination page and in the ACT cafes index.