Bangin Beans

Bangin Beans is a small, retro-flavoured espresso bar at 131 Rainbow Street in Sandgate, a few streets back from the Brisbane bayside waterfront. It opens at 5am every day, pours strong specialty coffee for the early walkers coming off the foreshore, and has become a fixture of the local dog-friendly circuit, with footpath seating that makes it a simple stop with a dog on the leash.

The dog setup

Seating is primarily outdoor along the footpath, so there is no awkward boundary negotiation: sit outside, leash the dog, done. It is a popular coffee stop after the local dog parks, and the staff are used to dogs at the tables. The space is small and intimate, which suits a calm dog more than a jumpy one, and a portable water bowl is worth packing since one is not guaranteed.

The coffee and food

The reputation is built on strong coffee and smooth long blacks, with smoothies and acai bowls for the warmer mornings. The signature order is the "Good Ol' Toastie", backed by quick bites, pastries and rotating desserts. Night owls get a second window too: on Friday and Saturday the counter reopens from 4pm to 8pm for a dessert and night trade, a rare late session for this strip.

Getting there and parking

Rainbow Street runs parallel to the foreshore at Sandgate, an easy walk from Flinders Parade. Free street parking on Rainbow Street and the side streets covers drivers, and Sandgate station is nearby for the train.

Nearby with the dogs

The big draw is the Sandgate Foreshore Park Dog Off Leash Area, where dogs can run and splash the tidal flats, and Curlew Park Fenced Dog Park is the fully fenced fallback. For another dog-welcoming stop, The Wired Owl Coffee Co is a couple of doors up the same street and Baaia sits right on the water.

More of the bayside is on the Sandgate destination page, and the full list is in the QLD cafes index.