Vitaly Italian & Woodfire Pizza Restaurant (Kirrawee)

Vitaly Italian and Woodfire Pizza sits at Shop G08, South Village, 580 Princes Highway in Kirrawee, a casual family Italian built around a proper woodfire oven and open every day from 11am to 9pm. For Sutherland Shire dog owners it is the easy dinner stop attached to a shopping-precinct run: the alfresco seating takes dogs, the kitchen turns out lamb ragu, prawn linguine and the margheritas that keep the queues moving, and everything is at ground level off the highway.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor alfresco dining area, which sits at ground level in the South Village complex, so getting a dog in from the car or the footpath is simple. The rules are the standard ones: dog on a leash, tucked close to your table so staff and other diners have a clear path. Inside the dining room is people-only, with registered assistance dogs the exception. Bring your own water bowl; this is a busy precinct cafe rather than a place that runs a dog station.

The vibe and the menu

The kitchen leans traditional: woodfire pizzas with a garlic crust that regulars single out, arancini, halloumi burgers and the pasta range from cream sauces to the lamb ragu. It suits a relaxed family dinner, and because the whole precinct trades late the alfresco tables still work for an early-evening sit-down. Coffee and a full drinks list round it out, so it covers both the lunch-break crowd and weekend dinners.

Getting there and parking

The restaurant fronts the Princes Highway inside the South Village complex, with ample free parking in the South Village car park. Kirrawee station is a short walk for anyone arriving by train, and the ground-level alfresco keeps the whole walk short, which is what you want with a dog in tow.

Close by with the dogs

The Helena Street Park fenced dog park is the suburb's council-run off-lead option with separate large and small enclosures, a few minutes away on Helena Street. For a second stop, Brick Pit Espresso and The Pan and Stone are the local dog-friendly cafe fixtures, and Queue-a-Bowl is the suburb's other casual eat on the list.

More options around the Shire are on the Kirrawee destination page, and the full list sits in the NSW restaurants index.