Hot Shott

Hot Shott is the busy brunch cafe at 3/17 Tedder Avenue in Main Beach, open from 5:30am to 4pm every day of the week, and it has a reputation as one of the more genuinely dog-welcoming stops on the Gold Coast. The flat, wide footpaths along the strip make rolling up with a lead in hand easy, and the alfresco tables out front are where dogs settle in.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor footpath and courtyard tables along Tedder Avenue; a few visitors report being let inside as well, but the alfresco seating is the reliable option. The team is known for bringing water bowls out without being asked, and the cafe even stocks dog-friendly gelato if your dog is due a reward. Keep the lead on and your dog settled beside the table rather than on furniture, because the strip foot traffic is constant.

The vibe

This is a serious breakfast operation: acai bowls, bagel boards, cinnamon scroll pancakes and a cobb salad for the virtuous, with a kids menu for the small humans. Service runs fast and the room hums from early morning, so weekday arrivals have the pick of the dog-friendly tables and easier street parking. Weekends see Tedder Avenue fill up, and the morning rush is the busiest stretch.

Getting there and parking

Street parking along Tedder Avenue is the main option and it tightens up at peak times, with side streets and free public parking a short walk away as backup. Main Beach sits between the Broadwater and the coast, so the beach is a few blocks east of the cafe for an on-lead stroll after breakfast, under the City of Gold Coast's dogs-in-public-places rules.

Close by with the dogs

For a proper leg stretch, The Spit via Federation Trail starts in the suburb and makes a good post-brunch walk. Nearby table options include The Winey Cow with its dedicated dog menu, Le Jardin Cafe Restaurant and Thyme Cafe Bar.

Max: Water bowl arrives unasked and there is dog gelato on the list. This is how you treat a working dog.