Zebu Bar & Restaurant

The waterfront restaurant at the base of Rydges Port Macquarie, 1 Hay Street on the marina, has changed its name: it traded for years as Zebu Bar & Restaurant and now runs as VIVO Bar & Table at the same site, with the same water-fronted terrace over the harbour. It has historically been one of Port Macquarie's genuinely dog-welcoming waterfront tables, with dogs on the outdoor undercover patio, but the rebrand is recent, so confirm the current dog arrangement with the hotel on (02) 6589 2888 before you build a visit around it.

The dog setup

Under the Zebu setup, dogs were welcome on the outdoor undercover patio and terrace, with the indoor restaurant people only. The cover made it workable year round: shade in summer, shelter when the weather turned, and water bowls usually on hand, with a collapsible bowl worth packing at busy service. Expect the same terrace-first arrangement under VIVO, but treat it as the thing to confirm rather than the thing to assume.

The vibe

The kitchen runs a buffet breakfast daily from 6:30am to 10:30am with the water in front of you, then moves to a coastal Italian-leaning and modern Australian dinner menu, Monday to Saturday from 5:30pm, built around handmade pasta, fresh local seafood and oysters. Happy hour runs daily from 5pm to 6pm with house wines and schooners, and the bar carries an espresso martini list. It is more polished than a pub but still relaxed, and the terrace has hosted live music, so a calm, sociable dog is the fit.

Getting there

Find it at 1 Hay Street under Rydges. Street parking runs along Hay Street and the surrounding waterfront and fills at peak times; the marina parking nearby is the fallback.

The paved marina walk is right outside for an on-lead stroll, and the coastal track continues along the foreshore. For an off-lead run, Nobbys Beach is a short drive around the headland, and Stuart Park Fenced Dog Park gives a fully enclosed option. The rest of town is on the Port Macquarie destination page and in the NSW restaurants index.