A dog’s dinner: A guide to the best places to dine out with your dog
Dining out with our four-legged friends is now more popular than ever, with many eateries offering dog biscuits and water to your pup whilst you enjoy your meal. There are now a selection of pubs and restaurants across the UK offering a menu especially designed for your canine companions to enjoy alongside your meal.
To help determine the best places for you and your pooch to visit we have compiled a list of the 10 towns and cities where it is easiest to dine out with your dog, as well as some of our favourite pubs and restaurants across the UK serving up a delicious dogs dinner.
We looked at the number of places in each location serving meals for pups, and compared this with the population to spot the easiest place to dine out with your dog. St Asaph in North Wales in the top spot, followed by Wells-next-the-sea in Norfolk.
Top 10 dining destinations
- Whitby, North Yorkshire
- Skipton, North Yorkshire
- Nairn, Scottish Highlands
- Keswick, Lake District
- Loch Lomond, Southern Scotland
- Anglesey, North Wales
- Chester, Cheshire
- Isle of Skye, Northwest Scotland
- Tenby, Southwest Wales
- Shanklin, Isle of Wight
Best dogs dinners on the market
Here’s our guide to some of the best dogs dinners for you and your pooch to enjoy.
The Dog & Gun, Knayton
A warm, welcoming pub set in the small village of Knayton, only 30 minutes from Bedale, is a great spot for dogs and owners alike after a walk around the countryside. As a dog-loving, family-run pub they make sure that pups never miss out at dinner time. “We cook doggy dinners to order, using human-grade food! The dinners are extremely popular and we even do doggy takeaways for diners who weren’t aware we serve dinner for dogs” said the chef. Stopping off for a re-fuel at this country pub will be a treat for the whole family - especially the dogs!
The Pig & Whistle, Healing
This award-winning restaurant created a specific menu for dogs as part of its zero-waste to landfill aspirations, serving up a feast for dogs as well as delicious British classics with a unique twist for their owners. The restaurant said “trimmings and waste which is fit for human consumption is converted into meals for our local homeless charity, other trimmings from certain meats and in particular fish products are utilised in our dog menu. Dishes include a protein bowl, made with rice, fish and meat trimmings. We also serve doggy scrambled eggs for breakfast and as a sweet treat, come winter a peanut butter cupcake and in the summer a frozen doggy lollipop.”
Wags N Tales, London
In Twickenhan, Wags N Tales offers a unique menu specifically for dogs, as well as a spacious layout to allow dogs and their owners plenty of room. Wags N Tales said, “our dog menu includes dog scones and pup-cakes freshly baked from our kitchen using human-grade ingredients and our Puppaccinos use lightly frothed goat's milk with some dog treats and topped with some carob powder.” A great place to stop if your pup has earned a treat!
The Golden Ball of Longton, Preston
This country pub wanted to create an environment where people could bring the whole family, including their dogs as they know how big a part of the family they are. The Golden Ball of Longton said “we offer freshly cooked meals for dogs - with a menu where they can choose sausage, beef or chicken served with vegetables, potatoes and gravy. We also have - dog beds, treats and a wash down station after muddy walks.” Why not join their free monthly dog walk before treating your pup to a home cooked dinner?
Shake Shack, various locations across the UK
Shake Shack, a modern day “roadside” burger stand, has created “Woof”, a menu especially for dogs which is available in every branch across the UK. Shake Shack explained “our menu includes treats such as Pooch-ini ™, pup-friendly vanilla custard with red velvet dog biscuits by Outsider Tart and our Bag O’ Bones® – a doggie bag of five red velvet dog biscuits made by Outsider Tart. Paw-five!” A fun and lively community gathering place with widespread appeal, Shake Shack is a great place for you and your pooch to stop off for a bite!
Tips for keeping your dog calm at dinner
With this guide of eateries, who not only allow dogs onto their premises but actually welcome them with their own doggy menu, it has never been easier to take your dog with you to dinner, but we know how stressful that can be. We’ve spoken with dog behaviourist, Nick Jones, to put together these tips for keeping your dog calm in a busy environment, making the experience even better for you, your dogs and other guests around you. to some of the best dogs dinners for you and your pooch to enjoy.
- Take your dog on a long walk before settling down to dinner. No one wants their dog to get a case of the ‘zoomies’ whilst trying to enjoy their meal so give them plenty of exercise beforehand to tire them out.
- Bring toys and treats along with you. Chews, bones and treats work really well at keeping your dog occupied and away from other guests.
- Make sure your dog has their own space and consider bringing a blanket or bed with you to really help them relax.
- Make sure your dog has plenty of water. Most dog-friendly restaurants will happily provide a water bowl for your pup - just make sure to keep it topped up.
- Keep an eye on your dog and know their personality. Make sure your dog looks relaxed in the environment and keep an eye out for any signs of anxiety. Things to look out for are ears tight back to the head, whites of the eyes easily visible, cowering, stiff body, or trembling.
- Perhaps most importantly, keep your pup on a lead. Even if they're well behaved you never know when an incident might put them in harm's way so by keeping dogs on a lead you will protect them as well as remaining courteous to others in the restaurant.
Matthew Fox, CEO of the Snaptrip Group, said,
“The increasing popularity of dining out with pets has created a surge in establishments offering meals specifically catered to our four-legged friends. From a three-course brunch menu for you and your dog at M Victoria Street to dogtails at cocktail bar Smith & Whistle, this guide aims to help owners find the perfect destination to visit with their dog.
“Our hope is to provide owners looking for a weekend away, who don’t want to leave their dog at home, with a comprehensive list of the most dog-friendly places in the UK. Highlighting destinations where the option to eat out with their dog is available, along with some advice on making this experience as enjoyable for owners and their dogs as possible, should help dog-owners decide the best places to visit when planning their next dog-friendly getaway.”
