Piccolo Ristorante

Piccolo Ristorante is a family-run Italian restaurant at 87 Ryans Road, Northgate, on Brisbane's northside, known for house-made pasta and a serious approach to dietary needs. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor footpath tables, which gives the suburb a proper sit-down dinner option for dog owners.

The dog setup

Dogs are permitted at the outdoor seating arranged sidewalk-style in front of the restaurant, and staff have a name for being accommodating with four-legged guests. Bring your own water bowl rather than assuming one will appear, and keep your dog settled out of the walkway. Footpath tables fill on weekend nights, so book ahead and mention you will have the dog with you.

The vibe

The kitchen turns out handmade gnocchi, truffle and mushroom arancini, cannelloni and a Moreton Bay bug linguini, with tiramisu and panna cotta to finish. Most of the menu can be adapted gluten-free and there are vegetarian and vegan options, which makes group bookings easier. Hours run from 5pm Tuesdays and lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday, so check the day before you head over.

Getting there and parking

Ryans Road sits in a residential pocket of Northgate, and free street parking is generally available out front and in the surrounding streets. The suburb's train line is close by if you are arriving without a car.

Pepsi: Handmade pasta for the humans, a footpath table for me, and nobody rushes anyone.

Close by with the dogs

For a leg stretch around dinner, the Northgate Off-Leash Dog Park offers a shaded council run nearby, and the Toombul Dog Park is a short drive into Nundah. For daytime coffee in the same suburb, Lilypad Espresso Bar is the local pick.

Find more Italian dinners and beyond via dog friendly restaurants in Queensland or browse Northgate.