Burleigh Bites & Açaí

Burleigh Bites & Açaí is the Gold Coast's home of fresh açaí bowls and handcrafted Brazilian bites, and it has grown from a single counter into a food truck, catering and online-store operation. The trading model matters for dog owners: rather than a fixed dining room, the business shows up in open-air settings, from the truck (known as BB1, or Buddy) at local spots and events to catering setups, where well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome outside while you collect your order. Its Google listing currently shows Thursday to Saturday, midday to 7pm, so check where the truck is parked before you set out.

The food

The signature is freshly churned açaí loaded with toppings, fresh fruit and granola, served as bowls, smoothies and take-home frozen packs. The other half of the menu is Brazilian: sfeehas, the baked open pastries, in flavours like beef, chicken, cheese, banana and Nutella, and a Dubai chocolate version for the sweet tooth. Dips and sauces, Mediterranean banquet spreads for events and wholesale packs for local cafes round out the range, and everything is available through the online menu for pickup.

The dog setup

Because most trading happens in open-air, street-side or event environments, dogs on a leash are welcome in the outdoor space wherever the truck has set up. There is no formal courtyard or water-bowl station to rely on, so bring your own water, especially through a Gold Coast summer. It is a collect-and-find-a-spot arrangement rather than table service: order at the truck, then take your bowl to nearby grass or the beachfront.

While you're out there

The truck's Burleigh Heads base puts you close to the dog-friendly sand at the Tallebudgera off-leash dog beach across the creek, where an açaí bowl and a swim make an easy morning. For a sit-down coffee stop in the same suburb, Tarte Bakery & Cafe and Parlour Coffee both welcome dogs outdoors.

Pepsi: The sfeeha smells better than anything in my bowl, but I still got a strawberry. Fair trade.

More places to eat with your dog are on the QLD restaurants list, and the suburb roundup lives on the Burleigh Heads destination page.