Bay Ten Espresso, Lavender Bay

Dog play dates and dog mum café dates are on the agenda today and we visit Bay Ten Espresso in Lavender Bay, hidden away on a quiet street just under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. If you're looking for a cafe to take your dog to and then go for a picturesque walk then this is for you!

"They do have four kinds of hot chips," says Sammie effectively reeling me into the idea of Bay Ten with just one line. We park outside and take a seat in the spacious, airy cafe located in the heritage listed warehouses where there are plenty of coworking spaces and other businesses in each bay. The cafe is only open on weekdays and it can get busy during lunch hour but there are plenty of tables.

We sit in one of the booths with the dogs and go to the counter to order. Because we were ordering separately as we were using our Service NSW vouchers things came out with a bit of a gap so it was lucky that we were sharing.

The coffee is by White Horse and Sammie orders one while I have a 9 Spice Sticky Chai with almond milk that comes lightly sweetened in a large pot.

The halloumi burger comes out first and looking at it it's a little empty. There is crisp halloumi and a bit of capsicum, onion, lettuce and Siracha mayo and the toasted brioche bun is soft but it's not what I'd consider filling (and I'm not even a big eater). Thankfully Sammie upgraded to the parmesan truffle fries and they're very tasty. When we get a look at our neighbour's beef burger with a high pile of golden onion rings we get immediate FOMO. "Go on, take a pic of his," whispers Sammie. "I can't write about it unless I try it and I don't think he'd share with me," I whisper back to Sammie who is stealthily taking a picture of his burger.

The baguette which is really like a North Shore version of a banh mi is better. The baguette is crisp, warm and not too dry and there is a plentiful amount of poached chicken breast, lettuce, carrot, cucumber, chilli and coriander with some house made mango Sriracha mayo. I added avocado to it to make it a bit creamier and moist and there's a good amount of chilli in it although sometimes the chicken can be quite dry depending on how much salad and sauce you get in the bite.

While I like having table service, counter service has its benefits like you can just get up and leave when you're done and since we've both got busy days it's time to take the boys for one of our favourite walks along the foreshore past Luna Park and Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden where they can get all of their sniffs in. And then as if by luck or magic as we are headed home the rain starts to fall.

So tell me Dear Reader, what is one line that someone could tell you that you pique your interest in a cafe? And do you prefer table service or ordering at the counter?

This meal was independently paid for.

Bay Ten Espresso

10 Middlemiss St, Lavender Bay NSW 2060

Monday to Friday 7am–3pm

Closed weekends

Phone: (02) 9929 4441

baytenespresso.com.au