Bonny's Beach Cafe

Bonny's Beach Cafe sits at 44 Beach Street directly opposite Rainbow Beach, and for dog owners it is one of the better after-walk stops on the Mid North Coast. The cafe is fully licensed, opens 7am seven days, and the outdoor seating around the building is where dogs are welcome, with the sand and the surf club a few steps away. Winter brings the whale migration past the headland, which gives the coffee a second excuse.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor seating areas, leashed and under control, and the venue is well used to walkers and their dogs coming straight off the sand. One caution: visitor reports differ on whether the main covered deck section takes dogs, so aim for the open-air edge tables and check with staff if you want deck seating. Some reports mention water bowls out in the pet-friendly sections, but carry your own as backup.

The menu runs from cooked breakfasts and smashed avo to toasted sandwiches and fresh local seafood, with a daily specials board and handmade pizzas on Friday and Saturday dinner nights. It is casual, counter-order territory, which suits a sandy dog tied up at your feet.

Max: walk the beach first, cafe second. From Duchess Creek north the sand is off leash around the clock, so a morning here can burn a whole hour before the coffee.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits on Beach Street beside the surf club, with street parking along Beach Street and the surrounding blocks. It is a straightforward stop coming through Bonny Hills on the coast road, and the beach access is across the road.

Close by with the dogs

The beach rules do the heavy lifting here: Port Macquarie-Hastings Council allows dogs off leash around the clock on Rainbow Beach from Duchess Creek north towards Middle Rock, with dogs on leash on the access paths and prohibited on the sections south of the leash-free access point. For another dog-friendly table in the suburb, Bonny Hills Beach Hotel is the evening option, and Reflections Bonny Hills - Holiday Park takes dogs for the overnight.

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