12 of the Best Dog Friendly Cafes in the UK

Are you looking for the best dog friendly cafes in the UK? You’ve come to the right place.

When thinking back to over ten years ago, the words “dog friendly” didn’t often go hand-in-hand with anywhere that sold food.

There’s always been a misconception that dogs are not legally allowed inside food service areas, restaurants or cafes, yet it is only areas where food is prepared that are legally off limits to our canine pals.

Thankfully, businesses today are starting to change their attitudes towards dogs being allowed inside restaurants and in cafes, and dog friendly cafes are now a very popular addition to towns and cities around the UK.

It’s likely that initiatives like the ones The Kennel Club have setup have helped, but there are also some businesses, which have made dog cafes their number one marketing ploy.

As a Brit, I love a good cuppa and if it can be combined with cakes or other sweet treats, then I’m sold.

But now that I’ve welcomed home my beautiful Rough Collie puppy, Kai, I don’t really want to leave him behind when venturing out to cafes for either blogging days, or when I fancy some special tea and cake.

So with that in mind, along with the help of some other bloggers, we’ve scouted out twelve cafes around the UK that allow dogs.

Which one will be first on your list (or rather, your pup’s list)?

The Best Dog Friendly Cafes in the UK

Doghouse in Bradford-on-Avon

Doghouse is based in the Cotswold town of Bradford-on-Avon; not only is it an amazing dog friendly café but a lovely pet shop too.

The staff love having the dogs, and the whole café and shop is based around dogs and pets. Customers without dogs are also known to visit, just so they can be around pooches too.

The café is very casual, and with just a few tables in the pet shop, it does get busy due to becoming very popular.

There’s a small amount of cakes, snacks and drinks available as well as puppacinos and pup cakes for the dogs.

Doghouse
1 Lamb Yard
Bradford-on-Avon
BA15 1FG

Words and photo provided by Steph from Steph and The Spaniels. Follow on Instagram @spaniellife and @stephandthespaniels.

Salami and Co. in Otley (now closed)

Otley, home to a small market town in West Yorkshire, is right on top of things when it comes to dog friendly options.

In particular, Salami and Co. is a cafe that has been especially designed to welcome human and hound alike.

While you can peruse the various homemade cakes and brunch-style food on offer, your hound can choose between their very own pupcake, biscuit bones, sausage or frozen yoghurt. They even serve puppuccinos and dog tea!

And something I also love is that they provide dogs with water, towels to dry muddy paws on and their own mat to chill out on near your table, ensuring your precious pooch will feel right at home here.

Salami and Co.
10 Market Place
Otley
LS21 3AQ

Badgers Tea House in Alfriston

Alfriston is one of the most charming villages I stopped by on my road trip around the English countryside. Full of old-world charm, it made for the perfect stop on our afternoon’s drive through Sussex.

And, of course, what would be an afternoon stop, without a delicious cream tea? Luckily, the signage at the Badgers Tea House caught our eye.

While the interior of the Badgers Tea House is quite cozy, and not able to accommodate dogs, out the back is a lovely sheltered garden, where well-behaved dogs are welcome.

It was a beautiful sunny spring day, so we carried our small dog through, then plopped ourselves down at one of the garden table settings.

While everything from breakfast to afternoon tea was on the menu, it was just a simple cream tea we were after.

Not that it was exactly simple: this was a proper cream tea, served with silverware and on fine bone china!

No advance bookings are required at Badgers Tea House, though I’d expect it to fill up quickly on sunny weekends and holidays.

I believe our dog was given a bowl of water, but I may have been somewhat distracted by the delicious scones, which he definitely only got a few crumbs of!

Badger’s Tea House
North St
Alfriston
Polegate
BN26 5UG

Words and photo provided by Shandos from Travelnuity. Follow on Facebook.

Monty and Mabel’s in Wilton

Another cafe that has been especially designed to welcome both you and your pooch is Monty and Mabel’s in Wilton, near Salisbury.

Putting relaxation and dog friendly at the heart of their offering, you’re positively encouraged to bring your dogs along with you to this little coffee house.

Your dog will even be treated to their own menu, allowing them to choose between exciting treats like pupcakes, doggie donuts, lollipups, beer, and my personal favourite, Pawsecco!

There’s even a pet shop on-site, inviting you to completely spoil your pup rotten when you come!

Monty and Mabel’s
9 North Street
Wilton
Salisbury
SP2 0HA

Paws for Coffee in Hampton Hill

Taking dog friendly to a whole new level is Paws for Coffee in the Greater London borough of Hampton Hill, who actually let your dog sit at the table with you.

Humans can tuck into all day breakfasts, paninis, cakes and sandwiches, while dogs have (yep, you guessed it), their own menu as well.

Sausage, homemade dog treats, ice lollies, calf foot and chicken’s foot can all be found on the doggy menu. There’s even a ‘Puppychino’, which is made from warm goats’ milk and black pudding.

And if you’re also on the lookout for some dog training or puppy classes, then the owner of Paws for Coffee also runs her own classes. I think that’s when you can be really sure that you’re hanging out at a dog friendly cafe!

Paws for Coffee
41 High Street
Hampton Hill
Hampton
TW12 1NB

The Tea Garden in Mallaig

I’ve discovered many wonderful dog friendly cafes on my travels around Scotland. If pushed to choose a favourite it would have to be The Tea Garden in Mallaig.

Mallaig is a bustling harbour town in the West Highlands. In high season, the dog friendly Jacobite steam train, aka The Hogwarts Express visits the town frequently.

Passengers usually alight and head straight to The Tea Garden for lunch. Humans are well catered for with delicious home baking, sandwiches and seafood fresh from the sea. Four-legged friends are not overlooked.

They’re greeted with a warm welcome, a bowl of water and a biscuit. Even better, there’s a doggy section on the menu.

The Wee White Dug highly recommends the honey and banana ice cream. And his Mum? Without hesitation, it would be the Rocky Road. It’s the best I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve eaten a LOT of Rocky Road on my travels!

The Tea Garden
Station Road
Mallaig
Scotland
PH41 4PU

Words and photo provided by Samantha from Scotland with the Wee White Dug. Follow on Instagram @theweewhitedug.

Twelve in Bristol

Offering dog owners with a superb coffee house, serving breakfast, lunch, homemade cakes and artisan coffee, is Twelve Cafe in the posh part of Bristol – Clifton.

Although Twelve is also open to non-dog owners, dogs have always been welcome at this chic Bristol cafe, ensuring your dog will be left to feel very welcome here.

There’s a treat jar for your dogs to snaffle something from, and they are of course allowed inside the cafe. Perfect for when it might be a little bit chilly outside!

Twelve
12 King’s Road
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 4AB

Middle Beach Cafe in Studland

Home to the Jurassic Coast, Dorset has some beautiful beaches, which makes it a great day out or weekend away for dogs (and their owners).

And Middle Beach Cafe, located right on the beach of Studland Bay is a great dog friendly cafe option.

Dogs are allowed outside the cafe where picnic benches are located, and you can buy the usual types of sandwiches, cakes and hot drinks inside the cafe.

The staff of Middle Beach keep water bowls topped up for dogs outside, which is great if your dog has been having an energetic run along the beach or swim in the sea.

Middle Beach Cafe
3 Marine Terrace
Studland
Swanage
BH19 3AX

Holkham Beach Cafe in Wells-next-the-Sea

Found right by the seafront in Wells-next-the-Sea is Holkham Beach Cafe, catering to both hounds and humans.

During cold, winter days, there’s a wood-burning stove inside the cafe, alongside a special winter menu. While summer brings with it al fresco dining on the cafe’s terrace, ice creams and ice lollies.

And the best bit? Dogs are loved here!

The cafe has a ‘Wash ‘n’ Wag’ dog wash, which provides you with everything you need (including an enclosed booth), to wash all that sand out of your dog’s paws and fur.

And there’s even a special bar, dedicated to doggie refreshments called ‘Bertie’s Bark-up Bar’… too cute!

And what’s more… if your pooch loves the camera, you have the chance to enter them into their ‘Dog of the Year’ competition!

Holkham Beach Cafe
Beach Road
Wells-next-the-Sea
NR23 1DR

The Beehive Coffee House in Bristol

The Beehive Coffee House is a small, independently run cafe in Downend, Bristol, and was the first place in the city to jump on the cool new foodie trend of freak shakes (aka milkshakes capable of sugar inducing comas).

Aside from these awesome freak shakes, they also sell homemade cakes, great sandwiches and the usual hot drinks, with all ingredients locally sourced from around Bristol.

They even use natural honey as an alternative to sugar in their food and drinks (hence the cafe’s name)!

This is a great dog friendly cafe in Bristol with dogs allowed both inside and in their outside bistro-style table and chairs area.

They even give well-behaved pooches a few treats for free!

So even though you may not come here as a treat for your dog, the treats you’ll get as a human really are second to none.

Read more about The Beehive Coffee House (and their freakshakes).

The Beehive Coffee House
14 Badminton Road
Downend
Bristol
BS16 6BQ

Rosie’s Kitchen in Bude

Bude in Cornwall is infamous for being super dog friendly, which means it should come as no surprise that there are a couple of dog friendly cafes on this list within Bude.

First up is Rosie’s Kitchen, which is a few minutes in the car from Summerleaze Beach, and overlooks Crooklets Beach.

All dogs are allowed on the terrace outside, while well behaved dogs are allowed inside.

The cafe is open throughout the day and into the evening, so you’re welcome to come here for lunch or dinner (with your pup in tow).

Rosie’s Kitchen
Crooklets
Bude
Cornwall
EX23 8NE

Life’s A Beach in Bude

Another great seaside restaurant and dog friendly cafe in Bude is the Life’s A Beach cafe, which overlooks Summerleaze Beach and welcomes dogs with open arms.

They have a large terrace outside, which offers plenty of shade for both you and your pooch, while they also have a large uncovered seating area as well in case you’d prefer to catch some rays when eating your lunch.

There are also lots of large dog water bowls dotted around the cafe and their food is pretty awesome for both hot food and sandwiches.

Our puppy was super happy dozing under our table while we enjoyed a delicious lunch overlooking the beach.

Life’s A Beach
16 Summerleaze Cres
Bude
Cornwall
EX23 8HN

Top Tips for Taking Your Dog to a Cafe

If it’s your first time taking your dog to a cafe that allows dogs, then you may be feeling a little daunted by the idea.

Will your dog jump up at staff? Try to eat food dropped on the floor? Bark loudly at passersby?

If any of these thoughts have crossed your mind, then here are my best tips for taking your dog to a cafe…

Teach your dog settle down training in advance of your cafe trip

When you’re at home, place your dog’s favourite blanket on the floor and throw some dog treats onto it.

When your dog is on the blanket, throw another treat to him.

Slowly work your way up to him sitting or lying on the blanket, while treating him frequently.

Eventually, you’ll get to a point where no matter where the blanket is (at home, at a friend’s house, or in a cafe), your dog should clamber onto it and eagerly await treats.

Take this blanket with you on cafe outings and remember to keep treating him when he’s settling on it.

Choose a table in the corner or against a wall

If you’re not sure how your dog will behave on his or her first cafe outing, or if you know you have a reactive dog, then try choosing a more secluded spot to sit.

This can be in a corner, or even just near to a wall.

Position your dog and his blanket against the wall so that he’s less likely to notice people walking by.

This can be his “safe spot” within the cafe where he can quietly munch on treats… hopefully!

Opt for quieter times of day on your first trip

On your first cafe trip, and if you have a reactive dog, it might be a good idea to head out to a dog cafe at quieter times.

Taking a late lunch or early dinner at 3pm for example can work wonders for easing a dog in.

Always use a leash

This should hopefully go without saying (but just in case), your dog should always be leashed when dining out.

Even if you have the most trained dog in the world, you can never be 100% sure they won’t dart out in order to grab some food or to say “Hi” to the nice waiter.

Avoid keeping your dog under the table

Although you’ll be trying to keep your dog out of other people’s way, keeping them under the table isn’t such a great idea.

It’s difficult to keep an eye on them and you may accidentally kick them, which is never going to help them chill out!

Remember to take a water bowl

Some dog cafes provide water bowls for dogs, while others sadly don’t.

Always err on the side of caution and take your own bowl – the staff should be kind enough to fill it up with tap water for you.

This ensures your dog is always kept hydrated and happy while you eat your tea and cake… it can also help to keep the panting and dog breath to a minimum.

So tell us, which dog friendly cafe will be first on your list? Or have you found a cafe that isn’t already listed? It would be great to hear from you as I’d love for this list to keep growing!

Fancy teaming a cafe visit with a trip to a National Trust property? Check out this free dog friendly National Trust directory!

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