Decoy Cafe / Dark Horse Coffee Roasters

Decoy Cafe, home to Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, sits on the Scarness Esplanade in Hervey Bay and roasts its own beans on site, which is the reason coffee-minded locals keep coming back. It is a footpath spot opposite the beach, geared to breakfast and brunch, open weekdays from 6am to 2pm and closed weekends.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor, undercover footpath seating that runs along the Esplanade. Water bowls are usually kept near the tables and staff have a good name with dog owners. There is no indoor access, so this is a fair-weather, on-lead stop.

Max: go early on a weekday. It opens at 6am, the strip is quiet, and you can walk the beach path before the midday heat comes over the Esplanade.

The vibe

The house-roasted Dark Horse coffee is the headline, with single origins and an ocean view from the tables. Food covers toasties, wraps, muffins and a salmon bagel, all in quick-service style. It closes early afternoon, so treat it as a morning stop rather than a lunch plan.

Getting there

The cafe is on the Esplanade at Scarness, with street parking directly along the strip and side streets as backup when it fills on weekends. Scarness Beach and the paved bayside pathway are right across the road.

While you're out there

Scarness beach has a 24/7 off-leash area nearby, covered on the Scarness beach off-leash page, so a coffee here pairs naturally with a lead-free run. Sea Breeze Cafe Hervey Bay is a couple of doors up the same strip if you want a second dog-friendly breakfast option, and Fraser Coast Holiday Park takes pets if you are staying over.

More options are on the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and the Scarness destination page.