Split Cafe & Espresso Bar

Split Cafe & Espresso Bar sits at the top of First Avenue in Sawtell, and its outdoor table seating along the avenue is where the village's dog walking crowd tends to land. Local listings and TripAdvisor reviews report patrons regularly dining with dogs at those tables, so treat it as an established practice of the strip rather than a formal policy, and follow the usual alfresco etiquette: dog on lead, feet off the footpath traffic line.

The dog setup

The outdoor tables run along the First Avenue frontage, shaded and people watching in equal measure. Visitors report a relaxed attitude toward dogs, and the strip's layout means you can park a dog beside the table without blocking anyone. As with the rest of the avenue, morning is the social hour when the tables fill with walkers and their dogs.

The kitchen covers the classics with some polish: eggs benedict, pancakes, smashed avocado on a jalapeno rosti, a brekkie burger, and thick shakes that get name checked in reviews, with gluten free options available. Hours run 6am to 4pm daily, which gives Split one of the longest service windows on the avenue. Find it at 3/4 First Avenue, on the corner end of the village strip. Street parking along First Avenue fills mid morning, but the parallel back streets are a short walk, and the beach end of town is minutes away on foot, so a swim or a headland walk slots neatly before or after the table.

While you're out there

Pair the visit with the Boambee dog lead creek walk on the edge of the village, or make it a longer stay with dogs at Petlyn By The Sea. For dinner options nearby, Morty's Joint takes dogs at its outdoor tables, and dog friendly cafes across NSW cover the rest of the coast.