Oasis on Straddie

This garden restaurant and cocktail bar at 83 Dickson Way, Point Lookout, has been running a dual kitchen since 2022: modern Mexican on one side and a wood-fire kitchen turning out pizzas on the other. The setting is a shaded tropical garden courtyard on North Stradbroke Island, and the outdoor courtyard is where dogs are welcome, which makes it a natural long-lunch stop after a day on the island's beaches.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the landscaped outdoor courtyard, on a leash, while the indoor dining room stays people-only. The courtyard is roomy and shaded, so a settled dog sits comfortably beside the table, and staff are accommodating with pets. There is no guarantee of a dedicated water bowl, so pack a travel bowl and top it up from your own supply. If you want a courtyard table on a summer evening, book ahead and mention the dog.

Worth knowing

The kitchen pairs pulled pork and beef tacos, ceviche and other modern Mexican plates with smoky wood-fired pizzas, and there is a solid run of vegetarian and vegan options alongside a kids menu. The bar is known for margaritas and a creative cocktail list. Hours are evening-weighted: Thursday to Monday from 5pm to 9pm, kitchens close around 8pm, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so this is a dinner spot rather than a lunch stop, and pizzas and part of the menu travel well as takeaway. Check the website for seasonal holiday hours before you cross on the ferry.

Getting there and parking

Point Lookout sits at the north-eastern end of Minjerribah, reached by vehicle ferry from Cleveland to Dunwich and a drive across the island. The restaurant is on Dickson Way in the main Point Lookout strip, with free street parking along Dickson Way and the surrounding streets, and it is an easy walk from the main accommodation stretch.

Close by with the dogs

Cylinder Beach and Adder Rock are both close by for a leashed walk before dinner, and the North Gorge Walk gives you a headland circuit with dogs on lead outside the restricted section. If you are staying over, Billa Blue and Whispering Trees are dog-friendly Point Lookout options near the restaurant.

More options are in the dog-friendly restaurants across QLD list and the Point Lookout dog-friendly guide.

Pepsi: supervised the taco round from under the courtyard table and rated the dropped pulled pork an island highlight.