Little Wave

Little Wave sits right on The Esplanade at Scarborough Beach, running from 6am to midnight every day, which makes it equal parts breakfast stop, sunset bar and late dinner option. The menu leans Mediterranean, with shakshuka and octopus getting most of the attention, and tiramisu finishing it off. For dog owners, the draw is the strip of outdoor seating facing the foreshore, where the beachfront paths pass close enough that a well-settled dog barely becomes a logistics problem at all.

The dog setup

The dog policy here is reported by visitors rather than published by the venue: diners say dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating, with complimentary dog biscuits making an appearance. The venue's own site carries no dog policy text, so treat it as a courtesy arrangement and keep your dog settled at your feet rather than on furniture. With the hours running to midnight, it is also one of the few spots where a dog can join you for a sunset cocktail rather than just a flat white, and the cosy indoor room is best left for the two-legged half of the table.

Worth knowing

The Esplanade location means the beachfront paths and grass slopes are right there, and the Abbett Park Reserve Fenced Dog Park is a short drive inland if you want to burn energy first. For other coffee stops along the strip, Lady Latte and Drift Kitchen are the closest dog-tolerant alternatives, and Trigg Dog Beach is south along the coast when the sand calls.

Street parking and the multi-storey on the Esplanade cover most visits, but the strip gets busy from late afternoon, particularly in summer when the sunset crowd arrives, and the ocean view tables go first. Morning is the easy version: quiet forecourt, breakfast menu, and a dog-worn-out beach walk beforehand. Browse the rest of the coast on the WA cafes list or the Scarborough destination guide.

Max: biscuits on arrival, a front-row seat for the sunset, and the shakshuka is worth the trip on its own.