Cafe Boker

Cafe Boker is a Middle Eastern cafe at 43 River Street in central Ballina, and it doubles as one of the town's most useful dog stops: footpath tables right on the main street, a kitchen that runs breakfast and lunch every day of the week, and staff who are used to dogs arriving mid-walk. The food, not just the policy, is the reason to come, with a shakshuka lineup that locals treat as the benchmark.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor footpath and streetside tables, leashed and staying clear of the pedestrian flow. The indoor room is for assistance animals only, so ask for an outside table when you arrive, and expect staff to bring the usual warmth people report about this place. A water bowl is not guaranteed, so carry one and fill it when your order lands.

The menu runs to the Hummus-Shuka, chicken shawarma, golden falafel pita pockets and a chicken schnitzel on house-baked challah, with solid vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free coverage and specialty coffee from Little Marionette. Doors open 7am and the kitchen winds up around 2:30pm daily, which makes it a breakfast-and-early-lunch venue rather than an afternoon one.

Max: get in before 10am on weekends. The footpath tables go first and the shakshuka queue does not wait for a second seating.

Getting there and parking

River Street is the main street, with free street parking along it and the surrounding blocks. If you are already walking the Richmond River foreshore, the cafe is an easy detour, and the whole loop works on lead.

Close by with the dogs

For an off-leash run before breakfast, the Missingham Park Off Leash Area sits on the river near the bridge, and the Kingsford Smith dog park is the fenced option. Afterwards, Seven Mile Brewing Co is the dog-friendly evening counterpart, and Bertie's food and drink covers the other end of River Street for a second coffee.

More options are on the NSW dog-friendly guide and the Ballina destination page.