Tide Espresso Bar

Tide Espresso Bar sits at 60B Sea Parade in Port MacDonnell, directly across the road from the ocean at Australia's southernmost rock lobster port. It is set up for dogs: a sheltered outdoor seating area at the front plus footpath tables facing the water, serving coffee, brunch and ice cream through the day.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the front outdoor area and at the footpath tables, and staff often supply water bowls for visiting dogs. Keep yours leashed and tucked under the table so the walkway to the beach stays clear. There is no dog menu, but the ice cream cabinet tends to win humans over and the foreshore directly opposite gives restless dogs somewhere to look.

The menu

The cafe pours White Whale Coffee, a specialist roaster, alongside a brunch menu that runs to eggs on toast, an avocado breakfast and Americano French toast, with house-made cakes, chunky warm biscuits and Van Diemens premium ice cream for sweets. Reviews at 4.7 from 168 keep coming back to the long blacks, the house-made sweets and the view. It is generally open about 8am to 2:30pm daily with some seasonal extension on weekends, so confirm current hours on the Facebook page before you build a late-lunch plan around it.

Getting there and parking

Port MacDonnell is about half an hour south of Mount Gambier, and Tide sits on Sea Parade with free street parking directly out front. It is an easy stop between the boat ramp and the foreshore playground.

Close by with the dogs

The oceanfront walkway along Sea Parade is an easy pre- or post-coffee stretch, though coastal sections around town are generally on-lead, so check signage. For a proper fenced run, the Hastings Cunningham Reserve Fenced Dog Park in Mount Gambier is the drive-in option. In town, Salt Cafe & Bar covers later meals, and Breaking Bread is worth the detour if you are heading back through Mount Gambier.

Max: Long black across from the water, brownie from the cabinet, dog sprawled under a footpath table watching the waves. Worth the drive down from Mount Gambier.