Fox and Hounds

Fox and Hounds is a premium steakhouse that lives inside a retro 1960s motel at 18 Ingram Road in Wahroonga, and its own site says it plainly: kids are welcome, dogs are welcome, pups and cubs welcome. The kitchen is serious about steak, with wagyu from marble score 5 through 9-plus alongside ribeye, eye fillet, scotch fillet and sirloin, plus menu regulars like lamb shoulder with chimichurri and barramundi. It is an unpretentious room where you do not need to dress up, which is exactly what makes bringing the dog easy.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the outdoor and alfresco seating, with the indoor dining room kept for humans. The tone is genuinely casual, so a settled dog on a lead beside the table fits right in. It is dinner only: from 5:30pm Tuesday to Thursday and 5pm Friday to Sunday, with Monday closed. Bookings are recommended but walk-ins are always welcome, dogs included.

Worth knowing

Weeknights run 50 percent off wagyu nights, and frozen cocktail slushies sit alongside a serious wine list, so it works as much for an anniversary as a random Tuesday. Sticky date pudding and apple crumble cover dessert.

Getting there and parking

The steakhouse sits within the Ascot Motor Inn property on Ingram Road, a short drive from Wahroonga station, with parking on site and on the surrounding streets. As a dinner venue it pairs best with a daytime walk somewhere nearby rather than an evening stroll.

Pair it with

Because the motel is on the same property, The Ascot Motel is the rare stay option that puts you metres from your dinner reservation. For daytime exercise, Wahroonga Dog Park and Frances O'Brien Dog Park are the local off-lead picks, and Cafe Patina covers the breakfast and lunch end of the suburb.

More ideas are on the New South Wales dog friendly restaurants guide and the Wahroonga destination page.