Swell Mullaloo Beach

Swell Mullaloo Beach sits right at the Mullaloo Surf Life Saving Club on Oceanside Promenade, looking straight out over the Indian Ocean. It is a relaxed all-day cafe-restaurant with a genuinely dog-friendly front deck, and the water view is the reason locals keep coming back.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on the outdoor alfresco deck at the front of the building, which faces the ocean and is partly covered. It is a proper bring-your-dog spot rather than an afterthought, though the deck is small relative to demand and fills fast on weekends and warm evenings. Dogs stay on a lead and settled beside the table, and health regulations keep them out of the indoor dining room. Staff are generally accommodating, but bring your own water bowl to be safe, as on-the-day availability is not guaranteed.

The vibe

The kitchen runs from breakfast through dinner. Mornings are for the Swell eggs benedict, huevos rancheros and breakfast boards; later it is beer-battered fish and chips, soft shell tacos and burgers, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options across the menu and the pavlova a regular finisher. Hours run 7am to 3pm Monday to Wednesday, then 7am to 9pm Thursday to Sunday, so dinner is a Thursday-onwards affair. A sunset drinks window runs late afternoons Thursday to Sunday, and the deck is the seat everyone wants as the sun drops.

Max: Get in early on weekends if you want a deck table, the dog-friendly seating is the busiest spot in the place and fills fast once the sun starts dropping.

Getting there and parking

Swell is at 11 Oceanside Promenade, Mullaloo, directly on the beachfront walking path at the surf club end. Public beach car parks line Oceanside Promenade and the surrounding coastal bays, and they fill quickly on warm summer mornings and weekends, so an early start makes life easier.

Close by with the dogs

The paved coastal path runs for kilometres in front of the cafe for an easy leashed walk in either direction, and the Mullaloo dog exercise area towards Ocean Reef is a short walk north for an off-leash run.

For the next coffee stop, Grounded Cafe at Kallaroo is a few minutes inland, and Paddy Malones in Joondalup covers the pub option. Staying over? Ocean Reef Homestay is next door. The Western Australia dog friendly restaurants guide and the Mullaloo destination page cover the rest.