Levendi

Levendi is a family-run fish and chippery on the water at Wollongong Harbour, feeding the suburb from the same spot by Belmore Basin since 2006. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, and the whole setup sits on the paved harbour path, so a lap of the basin followed by a feed by the water is an easy loop with the dog in tow.

The dog setup

Dogs join you in the open-air alfresco seating beside the basin, not indoors. The tables sit right on the harbour path, so you can walk up on lead and settle in without crossing roads. Water bowls are often out for visiting dogs, but bring your own on busy weekend mornings when the queues are deep.

Pepsi: Time it for a calm morning and the basin is all fishing boats and flat water. Do the full harbour loop first, then claim a table.

Worth knowing

Fish and chips is the house speciality, with calamari, salads and gelato for the walk back along the breakwater. Hours are 7am to 5pm in winter and 7am to 7pm in summer, with closing times shifting in bad weather, and the kitchen opens every day of the year except Christmas Day. It is counter ordering rather than table service, so one of you holds the lead while the other collects.

Getting there and parking

Levendi is at 81 Cliff Road on the lower level by Belmore Basin. The free car park at the basin fills quickly on fine weekends; Cliff Road and the surrounding streets take the overflow a short walk away.

Close by with the dogs

The paved path around the basin runs straight past the door for an on-lead harbour walk, and when the lead can come off, Coniston Dog Beach is a short drive south. Basin Cafe is the other harbourside stop for a coffee leg of the loop.

The wider list is on the NSW restaurants index and the Wollongong destination page.