Canteen Kitchen + Bar Coolum Beach

Canteen Kitchen + Bar sits at 1748 David Low Way directly across from Coolum Beach's main surf beach, a light-filled, airy venue running breakfast through dinner with an ocean outlook. Dogs are welcome at the alfresco tables out front, and with the beach across the road it is the walk-then-eat stop for Coolum dog owners.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor alfresco and grassed seating areas only, keeping the indoor dining room dog-free under Queensland food rules. Tables are spaced enough to settle a dog beside you, and staff often put a water bowl out, though bring your own to be sure on a hot day. Keep your dog on a lead and close to the table; the strip gets foot traffic from beachgoers.

The menu and the vibe

The kitchen runs a modern Australian menu with Asian-influenced small plates: tuna tataki salad, ginger prawn steamed dumplings, pork belly curry and herb-spiced fish tacos sit alongside eggs benedict for breakfast and Black Angus burgers. The cocktail list is long, with margaritas a fixture and a popular afternoon happy hour. Hours run from 11:30am Wednesday to Friday, from 7am Saturday and Sunday, closing late Saturday; Monday and Tuesday are dark.

Getting there and parking

The venue is on David Low Way in the Coolum Beach centre, with free on-site and street parking nearby. It fills on weekend mornings and in peak season, so allow a short walk from a side street.

The off-leash outing is Stumers Creek Dog Offleash Area, a few minutes north, where dogs can run off-lead on the sand once past the 10-metre on-lead buffer from the car park. The foreshore trail to Point Arkwright starts nearby for an on-lead leg-stretcher along the coast.

A weekday lunch is the quiet slot with a dog; weekends bring beach crowds and live music nights lift the noise. More options are on the Queensland restaurants index and the Coolum Beach destination page.