Tel Aviv Yafo Express

Tel Aviv Yafo Express is a Middle Eastern cafe and eatery at 45 Woodburn Street in Evans Head, opening from 6am for shakshuka, hummus, falafel and slow-cooked lamb with proper coffee. Dogs are welcome across the outdoor seating, and the small courtyard at the back is the pick of the spots.

The dog setup

There are two outdoor options with a dog: the front footpath tables and a cosy courtyard strung with festoon lighting, both easy places to settle a dog while you eat. Bring your own water bowl to be safe, and pick the courtyard on weekends when the Woodburn Street footpath gets busier. Breakfast service can fill up in holiday season, so arriving early keeps the pick of the tables.

What to eat

The kitchen works in a Tel Aviv street-food register: shakshuka that reviewers single out as among the best they have had, house-made hummus, crispy falafel, pita bread and slow-cooked lamb, with flaky bourekas and cabinet pastries, cinnamon rolls and baklava alongside. Coffee is a strong point, with Old Quarter and Turkish styles on the menu. Doors open at 6am on weekdays and Sundays, running to 1:30pm, with Saturday stretching to 2pm and again from 6pm for dinner, so it works for early starts before the beach as well as a weekend dinner.

Getting there and parking

Woodburn Street is the main drag through Evans Head, with free kerbside parking along the strip and a free car park nearby. Everything is flat walking from the street to the door.

Close by with the dogs

The Evans River pathway is a short walk away for an on-lead stroll along the water, and the 4WD and dog beach entry covers the off-leash side of town, though it pays to check the signage for current zones. For the rest of the local run, Muzzas Milk Bar and Illawong Bistro round out the dog-friendly eating in town.

Best for an early breakfast before a river walk. More dog-friendly eating is on the NSW restaurants guide, with the full suburb listing at Evans Head with the dogs.