Rocky Gardens Cafe

Rocky Gardens Cafe sits on Shearwater Boulevard on Tasmania's north-west coast, and it is as much a fine-food producer as a cafe: the team makes its own jams, marmalades, relishes and fudge on site, with an apricot chutney that picked up gold at the Australian Food Awards. For dog owners the drawcard is simple, dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables and the kitchen will sort out a doggiecino.

The dog setup

Dogs are permitted at the outdoor tables only and must stay on a lead. Staff have a reputation for looking after canine visitors, with pup cups offered on request. A few tables have umbrella holes, so ask for a shaded spot if the sun is out. There is no confirmed water bowl, so carry one in and the team will help you fill it.

Worth knowing

The menu leans breakfast and lunch: scones with the house jams, avocado toast and bacon croissants, with coffee and homemade fudge to finish. The shelf of house-made preserves makes a good take-home souvenir. Weekday service starts at 6am, with weekends from 8am, and both wrap at 3pm.

Getting there and parking

Free street parking sits directly in front of the cafe on Shearwater Boulevard, with flat, easy access to the outdoor seating area. Shearwater is a golf-and-coast suburb between Port Sorell and Hawley Beach, so most visits here are part of a coastal run rather than a destination on its own.

Make a day of it

Hawley Beach and Port Sorell Beach are minutes away for proper exercise, though check local signage for on-lead and off-lead times before unclipping. The Panatana Rivulet Footbridge walk is a good leg-stretcher, and if you are staying over, Hawley House and Banksia both take dogs.

More Tasmanian stops sit under the TAS cafes listing, and the Shearwater destination page covers the suburb's dog-friendly options.