Silvio's Cafe and Cucina

Silvio's Cafe and Cucina is an Italian cafe and deli at Shop 9, 180 South Creek Road, Wheeler Heights, and it makes a straightforward coffee stop with a dog. The covered outdoor patio is where dogs are welcome, and the kitchen is properly Italian: panini pressed to order from the deli counter, cannoli, imported cheeses and antipasto goods, and house-made dishes like a traditional bolognese. It opens Monday to Saturday, 7am to 3pm, and closes Sundays.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on the covered outdoor patio only, on lead and settled. Staff here are known for looking after canine visitors, and a visit often comes with a complimentary deli treat from the counter, so it is worth mentioning your dog is with you when you order. Carry water for your dog if you are planning a longer patio sit, particularly on warm days.

The food and the deli

The panini are the drawcard, with the Calabrian and mortadella versions regular favourites, and the deli side of the shop sells imported Italian goods worth a takeaway run even if you are not sitting in. Coffee is properly Italian, and the sweets cabinet runs to cannoli and other dolce. It works as well for a quick espresso stop as it does for a longer lunch.

Getting there and a walk after

The shop is on South Creek Road in Wheeler Heights, with street parking generally easy outside the peak brunch hours. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to have the patio to yourself; weekends bring the local brunch crowd. For an off-leash run before or after, Griffith Park at Collaroy and Truman Reserve at Cromer are both close, the latter off-leash around the clock under Northern Beaches Council rules. The South Narrabeen trail from Wheeler Heights starts nearby too.

If you are making a run of the area, the Tothy Brothers Deli is in the same South Creek Road strip, and Four Brothers Espresso and Coffee Lane cover coffee over the hill in Cromer. The Wheeler Heights destination page pulls the local list together, and the wider picks sit in the NSW cafes index.