Broadwater Cafe

Broadwater Cafe sits on Marine Parade in Southport, looking straight across to the Broadwater Parklands, with undercover outdoor tables that welcome dogs. The location is the point: it opens at 6am daily and works as a natural coffee or breakfast stop on a morning walk along the water, with the parklands just a leash-length away.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the shaded outdoor seating along the footpath edge, leashed and settled beside your table, and the cafe hands out complimentary dog treats to well-behaved visitors. If you would rather take the food down to the grass, the cafe keeps picnic blankets and mini-tables available to borrow for the parklands across the road. Water bowls show up often given the steady walker traffic, but bring your own to be sure.

The vibe

The menu runs to breakfast and lunch staples: bacon and egg rolls, croissants, Norwegian waffles, banana bread and milkshakes, backed by organic coffee. It is a quick-bite kind of place rather than a long sit-down, and the open views across the Broadwater do the rest of the work.

Getting there and parking

Metered street parking runs along Marine Parade, with more on surrounding streets and public parking within Broadwater Parklands. Come early: the walking path is quietest in the morning, parking is easier, and the footpath tables catch the sun once the day warms up.

Pair it with

The parklands across the road are made for a leashed waterfront walk, and the Musgrave Park Dog Off Leash Area is in the suburb for a proper run. For water dogs, The Spit Dog Beach at nearby Labrador is a short drive north.

More options are in the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide, and the rest of the suburb is on the Southport destination page.