Merak GF ARTISAN DELI CAFE

Merak GF is a fully gluten-free artisan deli and cafe at Shop 55-56 on Broadwater Terrace in the Redland Bay village, entrance off Stradbroke Street, and it is openly dog-friendly at the outdoor tables. The draw for mixed groups is simple: the entire kitchen is 100 percent gluten-free, so a coeliac in the party and a dog under the table are both looked after in the one sitting.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating, on lead and settled beside the table, with the indoor cafe people only. Water bowls are typically out for dogs, though it is worth carrying your own on busy weekend brunch shifts. The centre car park is flat and step-free to the entrance, which helps if your dog is older or you are hauling a bigger breed in.

The vibe

This is a dedicated gluten-free cafe and bakery, not a cafe with a GF menu on the side: house-made meals, pastries and breads, deli goods and carrot cake and jam drops at the counter. It opens 6:30am to 2:30pm daily, with a light menu plus deli and cakes on Monday and Tuesday and the full all-day breakfast and lunch menu Wednesday to Sunday, where eggs benedict and the halloumi wrap are the regular calls. On Friday and Saturday nights it also runs dinner from 4:30pm, worth booking ahead. The kitchen closes at 2pm through the day, so late-lunch plans should aim before that.

Getting there

Ample parking sits in the surrounding village car park off Broadwater Terrace, and the Redland Bay foreshore is a short walk for an on-lead stroll along the water either side of a meal.

For the off-lead run, Main Street Park Fenced Dog Park is about a kilometre away with shade and a water trough, and Point Talburpin Dog Park adds the waterfront option. Around the corner, Boss Burger café covers the burger end of the same street. More of the bay side is on the Redland Bay destination page and in the QLD restaurants index.