King Ludwigs German Restaurant and Bavarian Beer Bar

King Ludwigs is a Bavarian institution on Mountain View Road above Maleny, doing pork knuckle, schnitzels, spaetzle and apple strudel under a long list of German beers on tap, all facing the Glasshouse Mountains. Dogs are part of the picture, but on specific terms: the garden tables only, and by daylight.

The dog setup

Dogs on leads are welcome in the outdoor garden area, which runs on picnic style tables with the mountain view doing the heavy lifting. Indoors and the balconies are off limits, so this is a garden-or-nothing venue. The tables are shared and reasonably close together, which makes it a better fit for a social dog than a nervous one; staff are warm with canine guests and will usually organise water, but carry your own bowl to be safe. Book ahead and flag that you want garden seating, especially for weekends, because the dog friendly area is popular.

Worth knowing

The garden has no lighting, so dog friendly seating is a daylight proposition: aim for lunch rather than dinner. Opening days vary, and the restaurant is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, so check hours before the drive up. The address is 401 Mountain View Road, on the tourist route toward Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, with on site parking. One warning for walkers: Mary Cairncross itself does not allow dogs on its rainforest trails, so plan the leg stretch elsewhere.

Max: Garden tables are shared and close together, so if your dog is touchy about strange dogs, ask for an edge spot or come early when it is quiet.

Close by with the dogs

A weekday lunch in clear weather is the sweet spot. Before or after, coffee in Maleny village at Whit N Whimsy keeps the dog in the loop, and The Barrel at Clouds Vineyard down the hill is another outdoor dog friendly option with the same mountain outlook. Burn some energy first at Mapleton Dog Park. More of the region is under Maleny.