Beachfront cafe in Sydney's Botany Bay approved

A new beachfront cafe designed by Sam Crawford Architects (SCA) has been approved to replace a 1950s-era restaurant at Dolls Point, Botany Bay.

Approval was granted by the Sydney District and Regional Planning Panel to replace Le Beach Hut Cafe at Depena Reserve on Russell Avenue with a new food and drink venue featuring public amenities. According to the architects, Bayside Council's vision as the client was to replace the ageing venue with an architecturally designed building featuring contemporary and family-friendly amenities to activate the reserve.

The approved building accommodates a kiosk, public toilets, a kitchen and protected internal and external dining areas. Senior associate at SCA and project architect Ben Chan explained that the building form was designed to wrap around a central sheltered outdoor courtyard, allowing diners to take advantage of the winter sun while being protected from strong winds.

"Inside, generous glass windows give over 120 diners beach and park views, while two roof pop-outs bring in light and glimpses of the sky," said Chan.

"We raised the floor level by one metre to maximise views. This generates a raised seating edge encircling the building for additional sandy-feet dining capacity, and also, importantly, addresses the site's flooding issues."

The architects noted that the building will be constructed using durable materials that can withstand coastal conditions and frequent public use while reducing embodied carbon. Selected materials include low-carbon board-formed concrete walls, recycled timber cladding, and double-glazed windows. Additionally, photovoltaic panels will be positioned on the roof and underground rainwater tanks will be installed.

Sam Crawford, director of Sam Crawford Architects, said the site-driven design responds to the variables of wind and sun, "providing protected internal and external seating, with a scale appropriate to its park and residential context."

Landscape architecture practice Square One was engaged for the project's landscape design. Plans show lush landscaping along the street side of the cafe to reduce visual impact for nearby homes.

Construction is anticipated to commence in late 2026.