Bar Lucio(Kensington)

Bar Lucio is an Italian corner cafe at 12 Lenthall Street, just off Anzac Parade in Kensington, opening 6:30am weekdays and 7am weekends until 3pm. It does wood-fired paninis, fresh focaccia, rotating hot dishes like eggplant parmigiana and proper Italian pastries, and the al fresco corner tables take dogs.

The dog setup

Dogs join you at the outdoor verandah and footpath tables on the street corner, not inside the dining room. It is a regular stop for the neighbourhood's dog walkers and the staff are used to pups at the tables. Bring a water bowl anyway if your dog is fussy, and note the outdoor seating is first come, first served, so weekday mornings or early weekend brunch are your best shot at a spot.

Worth knowing

The counter display does the talking here: mortadella focaccia, prosciutto rolls and porchetta paninis, sfogliatelle and ricotta cheesecake, and a creamy cold signature called the Caffe del Nonno. It is casual and quick rather than a linger-all-morning brunch room, which suits a dog on a busy footpath.

Max: order at the counter and let the display case decide. Keep the lead short at the corner tables, Lenthall Street gets bike and foot traffic.

Getting there

The cafe sits a short turn off Anzac Parade, straight on the bus route and close to the CBD and South East light rail, which is the easier way in. Street parking along Anzac Parade and Gardeners Road is tight, so plan to walk or ride in if you can.

Close by with the dogs

For an off-lead run before the pastry, JJ Holland Park Dog Off Leash Area is the suburb's off-leash option, and Centennial Park Dog Exercise Area is a couple of minutes away for a bigger run. Hoopla is another Kensington cafe option for a second visit.

More picks are on the New South Wales cafe guide and the Kensington destination page.