Bar Que Sera

Bar Que Sera brings a city-standard wine bar to 61 First Avenue in Sawtell village: Mediterranean share plates, a serious wine list and a laneway-bar feel that locals book out on Saturday nights. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor, street-facing tables, which suits a bar that spills onto the avenue in the first place. The dog detail comes from local listings rather than the venue's own pages, so confirm an outdoor table when you book.

The dog setup

Outdoor seating is where dogs are accommodated; the indoor dining room is off limits under the usual food rules. Keep your dog leashed and close to the chair, because the street tables sit near passing foot traffic on a walkable strip. Nothing is advertised about water bowls, so bring your own rather than assuming one appears, and ask staff for the flattest patch of ground beside your table.

The menu

The kitchen works in small plates built for sharing, with swordfish, lamb rump and burrata among the dishes that keep coming up, and a chef-curated Feed Me menu that hands ordering over to the kitchen with optional wine pairings. The list behind the bar runs deep on wine and cocktails, and the Saturday session from midday is the longest of the week. This is an evening-leaning venue: doors open from 5pm Wednesday and Thursday, 4pm Friday and noon Saturday, with Sunday to Monday closed and hours that can shift seasonally.

Getting there and parking

First Avenue is Sawtell's main strip, and street parking along it is the go, getting tight on weekend evenings, so fall back to the side streets rather than circling. Book ahead, especially for Saturday, and ask for an outdoor table by name. The strip itself is pleasant for a leashed lap while you wait for the kitchen to fire.

While you're out there

The Boambee dog lead creek track gives the dog a creek-side walk before dinner, and the Boambee off-leash beach is close by for a proper run. Down the same strip, Morty's Joint covers the opposite end of the spectrum, fried chicken and beer at its own footpath tables.

Pepsi: they built the whole evening around small plates, which is exactly how I eat.

More North Coast dinners are on the NSW restaurants list, or browse Sawtell.