Bluebottles Brasserie

Bluebottles Brasserie is Woolgoolga's busy all-day cafe and restaurant at 53 Beach Street, a short stroll from the sand. It is one of the town's most popular eateries, and the outdoor tables along the footpath and street frontage take dogs, which makes it a dependable breakfast or lunch stop either side of a foreshore walk.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor seating on the Beach Street frontage; indoors is generally reserved for service animals, so plan on sitting outside. Staff are used to four-legged regulars and water can usually be requested, though bringing your own bowl is the safe bet on a warm day. Keep your dog tucked in close, because the footpath area gets a lot of through-traffic when the town is busy.

The vibe

This is a licensed, high-turnover cafe-restaurant known for all-day breakfast and lunch: corn fritters, eggs benedict, pancakes, a well-regarded burger and a green papaya salad, with coffee to match. The crowd is a mix of locals and travellers off the highway, and it draws serious numbers on weekends, which is worth planning around with a dog in tow.

Getting there and parking

Bluebottles sits at 53 Beach Street in the Woolgoolga town centre. Street parking is available on Beach Street and the surrounding blocks, and the beach-side car park off the main street is often easier at peak times, with a short walk over. Woolgoolga Beach and the foreshore paths are only a few minutes away on foot.

Close by with the dogs

For a second coffee stop, Riviera Cafe and The Drop Stop Cafe are both in town, and Moonee Beach Hotel to the south takes dogs in its outdoor areas. Check on-site signage for the current off-leash zones and times on the beach before unclipping.

Worth knowing

Weekends and public holidays are the tough windows for landing an outdoor table with a dog; a weekday morning is the calmer choice. More options are on the NSW dog-friendly restaurants guide and the Woolgoolga destination page.