Avondale, AZ Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)

Section 28-57(e)(11) permits sidewalk cafés only in the OTAB Heritage Subdistrict and only as an extension of an indoor restaurant already operating there; the café must sit directly adjacent to and abutting that restaurant and can never extend beyond its street frontage. For ADA compliance, a minimum 5-foot clear distance free of obstructions must remain for pedestrian movement on the sidewalk or porch. All furniture, including tables, chairs, umbrellas, and planters, must be moveable, and any umbrella needs a base weighing at least 60 pounds; everything, including any barrier required as a condition of a liquor license, must come indoors whenever the restaurant is closed.

If the city engineer determines it necessary for public safety, a moveable decorative barrier matching the restaurant's architecture must separate café seating from pedestrian traffic. The café can only serve food and drinks prepared or stocked at the adjoining restaurant, and alcohol service requires a separate extension-of-premises approval from both the City of Avondale and the State of Arizona. Café hours can never exceed the adjoining restaurant's own hours, and the café can never be open when the restaurant is closed. The city retains the right to prohibit café operation at any time for anticipated or actual conflicts, including festivals, parades, street or sidewalk repairs, or emergencies, giving prior written notice when possible.

No additional parking is required for the café, but operating one requires a license or other zoning-administrator-approved authorization before using any part of the public right-of-way, supported by plans showing the exact location, dimensions, and furniture and barrier specifications.