Biryani Paradise Townsville

This South Indian restaurant sits in the Cannon Park Entertainment precinct on Hervey Range Road in Thuringowa Central, and the Townsville Bulletin has covered its home-style cooking, especially the goat biryani. It is a dinner house, opening from 5pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends, and there is an outdoor dining area alongside the indoor room, which is the option to use when you bring a dog.

The dog setup

Dogs are reported to be welcome in the outdoor seating area of the Cannon Park complex that adjoins the restaurant. This is shared complex paving rather than a private courtyard, so keep your dog leashed and settled beside the table rather than roaming. There is no dedicated pet menu and no bowls on hand, so bring your own water, and confirm the current dog policy with staff when you arrive, as it has not been independently confirmed on the restaurant's own site. If your dog is unsettled by evening crowds, order takeaway and eat at one of the precinct's quieter benches instead.

What people come back for

The goat biryani is the headline dish, with chilli chicken, gobi 65 and chicken kothu also drawing regulars. A vegetable biryani special runs Friday to Sunday, and the dosa and mango lassi are popular picks. The menu leans South Indian rather than generic curry-house, which is exactly why the reviews are so strong for a suburban strip restaurant.

Getting there and parking

The restaurant is at Shop 9C, 52 Hervey Range Road, in the Cannon Park Entertainment complex. Parking is free in the large shared car park directly outside, with flat, easy access to the entrance. Dinner service starts at 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 4pm on Friday through Sunday, so an early arrival beats the peak.

Close by with the dogs

Riverway Parklands along the Ross River is a short drive away for a proper walk before or after dinner, and the Cannon Park precinct itself has paved areas for a short leg-stretch. For daytime options, Coffee at Jude's in Kirwan and The Beet Bar are dog-friendly cafes nearby. NQ Animal Emergency Services in Kirwan is the nearest emergency vet if you need one.