CAVA

CAVA works two shifts: a daytime cafe on Kent Street and, from Wednesday through Saturday evenings, a wine bar with a proper list. It occupies the ground floor beneath the Observatory Tower in Millers Point, minutes from Barangaroo's foreshore and the climb up to Observatory Hill. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables out front, which makes it a practical coffee stop in a pocket of the city where most dining is inside.

The dog setup

This is a footpath arrangement rather than a dedicated dog area. Dogs sit at the outdoor seating, on lead and settled, while you order at the counter. There is no guaranteed water bowl, so pack your own. The venue is compact and the alfresco section is modest, so it suits a calm dog rather than an exuberant one; weekday mornings and early evenings are when you will actually get a table. Staff are friendly and used to regulars, which helps.

Worth knowing

The kitchen is known for bacon and egg rolls at breakfast and a Basque cheesecake, often served with pear compote, that draws people back across all sessions. Between those two sits a lunch menu of panini and croissants, and the wine list takes over after dark with extended hours Wednesday to Saturday. Prices sit at city cafe levels. Because the building fronts a busy street, keep your dog clear of the footpath flow.

Getting there and parking

Street parking on Kent and Argyle Streets is limited and metered; coming by train to Wynyard or ferry to Barangaroo is the easier option, with an easy walk from either. Open from 6:30am daily, closing at 3pm Monday, Tuesday and Sunday and 9pm Wednesday to Saturday.

Close by with the dogs

Pepsi: Cheesecake for the humans, a parking-spot pat from the staff, and then the hill for the real walk. Job done.

Munn Reserve, a small pocket park off High Street, allows dogs off leash around the clock. Observatory Hill Park has a designated off leash area with harbour views at the top of Upper Fort Street. Barangaroo Reserve is on leash only, but its foreshore path connects to the Writers Walk in The Rocks for a flat, scenic wander. Another nearby coffee option is Rubber Ducky Cafe on Hickson Road.