Sundaes @ The Pier

Sundaes @ The Pier is a casual cafe and ice cream counter at 3/577 Esplanade, Urangan, sitting right at the foot of the historic Urangan Pier. It is built for the walk-up trade: coffee and breakfast rolls in the morning, gelato and waffles through the afternoon, all served to dog walkers crossing the Esplanade between the beach and the pier precinct.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor alfresco tables in front of the shop, on lead, and water bowls are usually put out for visiting dogs. As with most Queensland cafes the indoor counter is people only, so this is an outside-table stop. The tables sit close to the Esplanade path, so keep your dog settled while the morning crowd rolls through. On a hot Hervey Bay day the water bowls are appreciated long before you are.

Worth knowing

The menu leans into its reputation for the damper roll: bacon, egg and cheese served on fresh house-made damper, with fresh sandwiches, home-cooked silverside and a long ice cream list covering gelato, sorbet, thickshakes and waffles. Smoothies include dairy free and vegan options. Hours run Tuesday to Friday 7am to 4pm, Saturday 6am to 5pm and Sunday 7am to 4pm, closed Mondays. One rule matters more than the cafe's own: dogs are not permitted out on the Urangan Pier jetty itself, so plan your photos on the Esplanade side.

Make a day of it

The pick of the local combos is a foreshore walk first, feed second. Urangan Off Leash Dog Beach runs along the shoreline nearby for a swim, and Urangan Public Dog Park gives you a fenced option set back from the beach. If you want a second coffee without moving the car, both Pier Village Cafe and Salt Cafe Urangan sit within a couple of hundred metres on the same strip and welcome dogs outdoors.

Street parking runs along the Esplanade out front, busiest on weekend mornings when the pier trade peaks. More options are listed in the Queensland dog friendly cafes guide and on the Urangan destination page.

Max: do the beach first, the damper roll second. A salty dog at an outdoor table is fine, a sandy one on the cushions is how you get labelled.