Banksia Seafood and Grill

Banksia Seafood and Grill is a casual fine-dining seafood restaurant on the corner of the Esplanade and Denmans Camp Road at Torquay, Hervey Bay. It sits a short walk from the foreshore, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor patio tables, which makes it one of the more dressed-up dog-friendly dinners on the Fraser Coast.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor patio seating out the front. This is a calmer, more formal room than the beach-strip cafes nearby, so it suits a settled dog that will lie down under the table for a couple of hours rather than a restless one. Book ahead and mention you are bringing a dog so the team can hold an outdoor table, and bring your own water bowl because one is not guaranteed.

The menu

The kitchen is built around local seafood: Fraser Coast prawns, Moreton Bay bug tails, tempura prawns, fresh oysters, Shark Bay scallops baked with pea puree and bacon butter, and a signature seafood chowder served in a cob loaf. Barramundi and grilled steaks cover the non-fish half of the table, and seafood platters feed two. Service runs dinner Tuesday to Thursday from 5:30pm, with lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday, and the doors closed Sunday and Monday.

Getting there and parking

The address is 4/381 Charlton Esplanade, Torquay. There is a large car park at the rear of the venue, which is a simpler arrival than the kerbside Esplanade parking at busy times, and the walk from the car park to the patio is short and flat.

Close by with the dogs

The Torquay foreshore and beach pathway sit directly across the road, so a pre-dinner or after-lunch walk is built into the trip. Keep your dog on lead along the foreshore and check the council signs for the leash-free sections further along. If you are planning a Hervey Bay food run, The Kyn and Gypsy Burger are other dog-friendly options in the same suburb, and Sandbah Cafe works for breakfast before a big dinner.

Best for a special-occasion seafood dinner with a calm dog at your feet. More dog-friendly eating is listed on the Queensland restaurants guide, and the full suburb rundown is at Torquay with the dogs.