Enzo's on the Beach

Enzo's on the Beach sits right on the sand at 351A Esplanade, Scarness, on the Hervey Bay foreshore about half an hour's drive north of the Bruce Highway turn-off at Maryborough. The deck looks straight out over the bay, and the venue's low-slung bean-bag lounges spill down onto the beach itself. It trades from early morning, running breakfast through to dinner with later sittings on Friday and Saturday nights. For dog owners, this is one of the most genuinely dog-set-up venues on the whole Esplanade strip.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome across the outdoor areas: the undercover front deck and the bean bags down on the sand. The enclosed indoor dining room stays people only. Water bowls are provided, and if you are booking a table, mention the dog so the staff seat you somewhere suitable out front. The open-air layout means most of the venue works for a four legged guest, and the bean-bag end is the pick for a dog that wants to flop on the sand beside you while you watch the sunset.

Worth knowing

The menu covers all-day breakfast, lunch and a seafood-leaning dinner menu, with a happy hour on drinks and a vegan list alongside the classics. Doors open at 6:30am most days, which suits the dog-walking crowd, and service runs to 9pm on weeknights and 10pm on weekends. Sunset is the rush, so arrive ahead of it if you want a bean bag rather than a wait.

Getting there and parking

Scarness is the central beach suburb of Hervey Bay, roughly 3.5 hours north of Brisbane. Street parking runs along the Charlton Esplanade and the side streets behind it, and it tightens up around sunset and weekend breakfasts. The venue sits directly on the foreshore path, so walking in from anywhere along the Scarness strip is easy.

Close by with the dogs

Fraser Coast Regional Council has made the beach from Tooan Tooan Creek to the Scarness Jetty off-leash around the clock, so your dog can swim and run right in front of the deck; the stretch from the jetty towards Robert Street is dog-free, and the paved Esplanade path itself is on-leash. Scarness beach Dogs off leash 24/7 area covers the rules, and for other meals on the strip, Sea Breeze Cafe Hervey Bay next door and Jham Bar Espresso a few doors up both welcome dogs outdoors.