With pet ownership on the up over the last two years, America's restaurants are stepping up their offering for dog owners all over the country. From dog food menus to treats on demand, these dog-friendly restaurants promise to look after your pooch just as well as they look after you.
It's almost impossible to choose just one cake in this bakery in America's capital. From brownies to tray bakes layered with marshmallow, chocolate and caramel, the counter is packed with tempting treats for humans. There are also plenty of dog treats, though, as this place loves pooches too. Get a box of their Zillabonez, which come in four different flavors, for the dog to snack on while you indulge.
Craft beers, posh pizzas and mammoth sandwiches make this Virginia bar and restaurant the ideal place to refuel with your dog. Not only will they fuss over your pet on arrival, but some of the profits from their food and drink go to Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, so you can eat knowing you're helping homeless pets in need. There are five locations in northeastern Virginia.
Just a block away from the shores of the Indian River North in New Smyrna Beach – Florida's answer to the Hamptons – Yellow Dog Eats Kitchen and Bar has an epic menu. Expect pulled pork sandwiches, Mexican wraps, vegetarian nachos and tacos, plus other sandwiches featuring fresh salmon, tuna or turkey with maple roasted bacon. There's craft beer on tap and a decent wine list, and the dogs will get plenty of fuss when you visit.
This quirky little café in Portland, Oregon, is the perfect place for brunch with your dog. Sourcing responsible food and fostering community connections is their mission, and their dishes include breakfast burritos, French toast, eggs Benedict and scrambled egg stacks. Lunchtime brings sandwiches and burgers, and there's even a menu for dogs with free-range chicken and a peanut butter and banana bowl. Pair it all with one of their pint-sized cocktails, and get the pooch a branded bandana, the proceeds for which go to their animal charity of the year.
Cafés don't get more dog-friendly than this place, where your pup is encouraged to hop up on the seats and is allowed to roam free, off-leash around the space. There's posh toast and Danish pastries galore, but Boris & Horton – named after its founders' two pets – is more than just a place to grab a bite. It offers dog CPR courses, puppy birthday parties or "gotcha day" celebrations, and it holds regular adoption events to help New York's homeless pooches find their forever homes.
This is one for the night owls (or dogs). Fred 62 is open 24 hours per day, so you can sit on the patio with your dog at any time to indulge in a little brunch, burger, fried chicken with waffles or even ramen. There's an excellent and extensive plant-based menu – don't miss the Hippie Sandwich with vegan cheese – and bottomless coffee to boot. Just on the edge of Griffith Park, it's the perfect place for a bit of celebrity spotting too.
Perched on the edge of Golden Gate Park, Pacific Catch is a top spot to refuel after a bit of sightseeing in San Francisco. Come here for salmon poke, seared tuna and avocado, zingy ceviche and freshly caught grilled fish. There's a vast patio for you and the dog to relax on, and cocktails to go if you're heading out for a post-lunch walk. You'll find various other locations in California, from San Diego to Santa Clara too.
Southern fine dining doesn't get better than this. Set within an 18th-century mansion in Savannah, The Olde Pink House serves up classics like jumbo shrimp cocktail and chicken pot pie. The extensive menu will keep you coming back for more, with fried shrimp and apple slaw, grilled pork tenderloin with bourbon molasses, and crispy duck with a black vinegar barbecue glaze. If that's not enough to satisfy, there's homemade lemonade with vodka and plenty of craft beers to choose from. Sit out on the patio with your pup and book ahead – this place is popular.
Dogs get their own menu at this Las Vegas comfort-food restaurant, choosing from grilled hamburgers with brown rice or chicken breast with vegetables. Meanwhile, humans can pick from a vast small plates menu, featuring mini corn dogs, sweet potato tater tots and buffalo chicken nuggets, or indulge in bigger dishes from sandwiches and burgers to noodles. The loaded fries (pictured) are a must, and leave room for dessert – there's butter cake, banana pudding and devilishly good triple chocolate mousse.
What better place to bring your dog than somewhere that sells itself as a "sausage house" and beer garden. Banger's is an Austin restaurant with plenty of outdoor space, that serves up their own homemade sausages, pig roasts, beef jerky and pickled veg. There's Sunday brunch and smokehouse plates available until they sell out and they might even make a sausage for the dog. The craft beers on tap hail from all over the USA, with plenty of local Austin brewers featuring on the menu too.
What started as a modest seafood shack overlooking Chimney Creek is now a Tybee Island institution. A casual attitude – their motto is "where the elite eat in bare feet" – and some supremely good seafood make this a place worth traveling for. Raw oysters and clam chowder are superb starters, while a snow crab boil with shrimp, corn and potatoes or a full platter of locally caught seafood will see away any rumbling stomachs. The spot is pet-friendly, so your pooch will enjoy the laid-back vibe and water views too.
Restaurants don't come much more dog-friendly than this favorite spot in Denver. Part dog park, part restaurant, The Watering Bowl has a huge outdoor patio area for your pups to roam off leash while you imbibe. Expect chicken wings with zingy dressings such as sriracha or teriyaki pineapple, mammoth burgers and tacos on the menu as well as plenty of Colorado beers to taste. They hold dog parties and special events and proceeds from their branded dog tags go to a dog rescue charity.
One of quirky Asheville's more refined restaurants, Posana's tempting menu is entirely gluten-free. It's all about fresh produce and full flavors here, with salt roasted beets, garam masala fish and succulent lamb racks, and in 2017 they launched their dog menu for all their four-legged customers. Dogs can choose meatloaf, biscuits or burgers to snaffle on the patio out front. Humans shouldn't miss the spectacular desserts by pastry chef Renee Hill either.
Stop at this sidewalk café, next door to the excellent Whaley House Museum, and your dog will thank you. While you indulge in moreish tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, enchiladas or bulging burritos, your dog gets their own menu too. Order them a snack of sliced carne asada, a beef patty, scrambled eggs or chicken and fries. Be sure to get yourself one of their "Big *** Margaritas", a two-liter (94fl oz) cocktail that'll keep you going for hours.
There's live music and fast food at this New Jersey joint, but even better is their Yappy Hour. This bar has a fenced-in area just for your dogs to run around off-lead while you do some socializing of your own. Hot dogs, grilled cheese and cheeseburgers will keep you fed while the pooch runs around making new friends or lounging in the shade of the parasols.
Dogs are allowed inside and out at this lovely coffeeshop in Austin, Texas. Mozart's sits right on the Colorado River, so you can sip flat whites or cortados with a slice of something sweet – try a tiramisu cup or their homemade cannoli – and views of the passing boats. Their coffees are responsibly sourced from all over the world, but the best by far is the local Texas Honey Heritage Campfire Pecan brew.
Patio seating and a dog menu make this one of Arizona's most pet-friendly restaurants, but it's also one of its most memorable thanks to its position on Oak Creek. From here, you get spectacular red rock views, served alongside a locally sourced, ever-changing menu. Expect healthy breakfasts like granola and yogurt, hummus and quinoa tabbouleh for lunch, as well as soups, salads and breakfast burritos. The dog menu has cheese omelets, venison and dog-friendly cookies too. Don't walk out without a bottle of the chef's own hot sauce.
Set just a few blocks back from the beach, this grill restaurant welcomes dogs of all sizes, from great danes to toy poodles. The menu is all about comfort food done well, with dishes such as baked pretzels with cheese and mustard, crispy calamari or chicken nachos. There are also tacos if you prefer something lighter, plus pizzas and Southern classics like jambalaya and collard greens. Dogs will get water and a little fuss on arrival.
Dogs living in Dallas love Mutts Canine Cantina, part-dog park, part-bar and restaurant. Dog owners will love being able to sip hard shakes and cocktails while their pets roam free in their dedicated enclosed seating area, and you can order brilliant burgers from the human menu too. Treat your pet to a 'pupsicle' or a 100% beef patty for being a good dog.
One of the few restaurants in the USA where dogs are allowed inside as well as out, Norm's Eatery and Alehouse promises great fun with great food. Order vegan wings, nachos or a filling Philly cheesesteak, sip on refreshing cocktails like the Spring Trash (vodka, lemon, sugar and sparkling rose wine) and don't forget to order a 'bow wow' bowl for the dog. As per the Health Department's requirements, there are a few house rules (leashes on, no barking and definitely no eating off your plates), but it's a small price to pay to have your pet by your side indoors.
Just over the road from the glorious Cape May Beach, which is dog-friendly between November and March, this excellent beach bar has plenty to offer both dogs and their owners. Expect live music at weekends, gloriously fresh seafood such as oysters, mussels and shrimp, plus some fine barbecue dishes with moreish glazes. Their two outdoor dining areas have fire pits, parasols and shuffleboard, and dogs are welcome to order from the Doggie Menu, featuring burgers, hot dogs and steamed vegetables with chicken.
A nano-brewery, distillery, bar and restaurant all in one place that allows dogs? This is the jackpot. OHSO, which stands for 'Outrageous Homebrewer's Social Outpost' is Phoenix's premier dog hangout, with bespoke cocktails using their own vodka, plenty of craft beers on tap and in cans, and a 'Barking Bar' where your pooch can get free water bowl refills. Salads, burgers and interesting sandwiches will fill you up – try The Pilgrim, a croissant filled with turkey, tomato, bacon, cranberry aioli, gouda and sprouts.
From puppuccinos to bacon rashers, the dog menu at Pub Dog has few rivals. The human food menu is equally pleasing too, with supremely cheesy nachos, spicy quesadillas, bratwurst and chunky burgers. If you're not into Colorado craft beers, order a speciality coffee – peach cobbler, perhaps – or a hot cocktail, such as a chai hot toddy or caramel chai bourbon latte. Dogs are allowed off-leash in a designated area and staff will even hold birthday parties for your pup should you be so inclined.
Sweeping sea views and spectacular seafood make this Cape Elizabeth restaurant a glorious spot for a sundowner or special dinner. Chef Chadwick has designed a superb menu, with flavorful risottos, fresh grilled fish, succulent lobster and local mussels. There's Champagne and prosecco, as well as craft cocktails and a seasonally changing menu for the dogs too. Sit outside on the terrace for the best panoramas of the ocean.
Pups & Cups have thought of everything. There's a dog-free area for those who prefer a more relaxed vibe, an off-lead indoor area for those who are happy to let their pets run and play, and they've installed dog hooks at every table if you prefer to keep yours close while you eat. Alongside all this, there's excellent artisanal coffee, dog snacks to order and cheese and charcuterie platters to be paired with wines and beers.
On the edge of the wild Denali National Park, The Flying Squirrel might be one of the most remote dog-friendly cafés in the USA. Out here, where the snow falls thick in winter and the sun shines through lanky pines in summer, you and your dog can find shelter within its cozy wood-cabin walls. It focuses on local ingredients and home comforts, with pastries, artisanal breads and pizza nights. There are snacks for the dog and you'll often find live music on at weekends.
This coffee hub in Little Rock is where all the city's creatives go to network, get work done or refuel after a day at the laptop. Dogs are allowed here, while humans can enjoy exceptionally good coffee, as well as pastries, cakes and cold brew for those warm summer days. Come by for brunch and look out for the fluffy shop dog too.
Only Colorado's coolest dogs come to Romero's. With rotating food trucks serving up dinner delights and an extensive drinks list including beer, cider, wine, mead and kombucha for the humans, there's a lot to love about this place. But even better is its off-leash dog park where you can sip your chosen poison while the dog makes some new friends. Dogs must be neutered or spayed and should have all their up-to-date vaccinations before they can come to play.
This Atwater Village restaurant serves brilliant burgers, moreish mac 'n' cheese and light and crispy fish and chips on its heated patio terrace. Dogs are welcome to join you to dine and there's a menu just for them featuring chicken with rice, hamburger with rice or hot dogs. Come for Happy Hour and you'll pay just $9 for your dinner, while beers are just $6. If you're hungry enough for dessert, order their famous butterscotch bread pudding. There's a location in Burbank and one coming in Huntington Beach too.
Located in Chicago's River North neighborhood, this excellent modern Mexican restaurant has a dog-friendly patio. You can order tacos filled with octopus, shrimp, chicken or truffle mushrooms, while your dog can feast on ice cream or pet-friendly burger patties. Even better, some of the profits go to PAWS Chicago, a no-kill shelter that helps dogs and cats find their forever homes.