Lex Thai Garden

Lex Thai Garden is a Thai restaurant and bar at 45/49 Ballina Street in Lennox Head, set in a leafy tropical garden courtyard rather than a formal dining room. It is an evening venue: dinner service runs from 5pm Monday to Saturday, with Sundays closed, so think of it as the relaxed end to a beach day rather than a breakfast stop.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the outdoor garden seating, which suits the open-air layout of the place. The enclosed dining room stays people-only. It is a popular spot that fills on weekends, so book ahead and mention you will have a dog so the team can point you to the right table. Staff may bring water out, but pack your own bowl to be safe.

Pepsi: the garden tables feel like someone's back courtyard, which is exactly the sort of place a settled dog can sprawl out while the humans argue about which curry to order.

Worth knowing

The menu covers Thai classics: duck spring rolls, fish cakes, curry puffs, massaman and other curries, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Cocktails and a happy hour between 4pm and 5pm are part of the draw. Reviews consistently mention welcoming staff, which helps if your dog is still learning restaurant manners.

Getting there and parking

The restaurant sits on Lennox Head's main strip, a short walk from the beachside end of town. Street parking runs along Ballina Street and the side streets but tightens up at peak dinner times and in holiday season, so arrive a little early for a spot.

Pair it with

The Lennox Head Boardwalk is an easy on-lead coastal walk before dinner, and the flat walk along Ballina Street past the shops works for a leg-stretch. For the next morning, The Point Cafe and Kopi Lennox are dog-friendly coffee stops in the same village.

More options are on the New South Wales dog friendly restaurants guide and the Lennox Head destination page.