Raby Bay Harbour

Raby Bay Harbour is the waterfront dining and marina precinct at Cleveland, off Shore Street West, where a boardwalk runs past a row of cafes, bars and restaurants looking over the yachts and the bay. For dog owners it works as a whole outing rather than a single venue: a leash-on walk along the marina, then a meal at an outdoor table with the water in front of you.

The dog setup

Leashed dogs are welcome on the public boardwalk and the surrounding footpaths, and most of the waterfront venues take well-behaved dogs at their outdoor and covered tables. Indoor dining rooms stay dog-free, as usual for Queensland restaurants. Policies do vary from venue to venue and can change with the day, so check with staff on arrival which outdoor sections are taking dogs, and bring your own water bowl rather than counting on one being out.

The vibe

The precinct covers a wide spread of casual dining, from seafood and fish and chips through to Thai, Italian and modern Australian, all with marina views. Alfresco and terrace seating sits close to the boat berths, the precinct has wheelchair accessible entrances and parking, and live music pops up on Friday evenings and weekend afternoons. Plenty of locals come simply to walk the dog along the boardwalk, meal or not.

Getting there and parking

The harbour runs along 152 to 166 Shore Street West, with free public parking lots and street parking around the complex and a short walk from Cleveland Station. Turnover is usually decent, but peak Saturday evenings fill up and some nearby bays carry time limits, so read the signage. Doors are open from mid morning: venues trade from around 8:30am with kitchens running into the evening.

While you're out there

The designated off-leash cove at Raby Bay Dog Beach is under a kilometre away for a swim before or after you eat, and GJ Walter Park Beach Dog Off Leash Area is close by as well. On the boardwalk itself, Hog's Breath Cafe Cleveland and The Lighthouse Restaurant are two of the waterfront tables that take dogs outside, with more Cleveland options on the precinct's side streets.

Max: do the boardwalk lap first, then pick whichever outdoor table has the shade and the least foot traffic.

More marina-side eating is on the Queensland restaurants guide, or browse Cleveland for the suburb round-up.