Buckley's Chance

Buckley's Chance occupies Alstonville's heritage-listed 1909 post office at 86 Main Street, and the wide verandah out front has become the Plateau's favourite dog table. The venue confirms the policy itself: leashed dogs are welcome on the deck, water bowls included.

The dog setup

Dogs join you on the broad front deck and verandah, a relaxed open area with room to settle a dog under the table. Water bowls are put out for visiting dogs, and inside dining is people only, so head straight for a deck table. Keep the lead on and your dog tucked in; the deck fronts the main street and gets foot traffic.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans on Northern Rivers produce, pours Allpress coffee and keeps a drinks list with Jilly wines and Yulli's beers, with cocktails in the mix. Chilli scrambled eggs and the sourdough get regular mentions, and there are vegan options. Hours run 6am to 2pm every day, with a Friday dinner service from 5pm to 9pm, which is a genuine rarity for a dog-friendly deck in a small town. Breakfast and brunch are the busy stretch.

Getting there and parking

The cafe sits in the centre of town on Main Street, with free street parking along the strip and a free car park nearby. Alstonville is an easy detour off the Bruxner Highway between Lismore and Ballina.

Close by with the dogs

Alstonville Dog Park is the off-lead option close to town, and Benchtop Espresso Alstonville is the same-strip alternative if the deck is full at peak breakfast.

More options are on the NSW dog friendly cafes guide and the Alstonville destination page.

Pepsi: Friday dinner on the deck changes the routine. Same dog table, different light, and the town slows down after five.