Chargrill Charlie's Sylvania

Chargrill Charlie's Sylvania is a takeaway chicken shop inside the Southgate Shopping Centre on the corner of Princes Highway and Port Hacking Road, and it fits a dog walk differently to most cafes: order at the counter, then eat at the centre's outdoor tables with your leashed dog beside you. There is no dining room for dogs here, but the outdoor eating area does the job for a casual lunch stop.

The dog setup

Dogs stay outside, which is standard for a counter-service food outlet, but they are welcome in the exterior dining zones and on the footpath while you eat. The outdoor tables are shared public seating for the whole centre rather than a dedicated dog area, so expect foot traffic and keep the lead short near the walkway. No water bowls are provided, so pack your own.

The menu

The drawcard is the charcoal chicken, sold whole, half or quarter with classic stuffing, and it comes with the house chicken salt that regulars chase. Around it sits a solid takeaway spread: chicken schnitzel rolls, the Portuguese burger, hot chips, potato bake and devil wings, plus rotating fresh salads and a cauliflower bake if you want greens with it. Order ahead through the Chargrill Charlie's app if you would rather not queue with a dog in tow. Doors open 10am to 9pm most days, extending to 10pm Thursday through Saturday.

Getting there and parking

Southgate Shopping Centre has both open-air and undercover parking, so this is an easy stop by car. It sits on the Princes Highway at Port Hacking Road, with the Sylvania Waters foreshore a few minutes away for a waterside walk either side of lunch.

Close by with the dogs

For an off-leash run afterwards, Helena Street Park Fenced Dog Park at Kirrawee is a short drive west. If you are building a Shire cafe circuit, The Ugly Cook at Sylvania Waters and Noah's Cafe Taren Point are both dog-friendly options nearby.

More options are on the New South Wales dog friendly cafes guide and the Sylvania destination page.