Your dog deserves the best. That’s why you pamper him with everything from knock-off Ugg snow booties to a memory-foam Casper bed. So naturally, you shouldn’t have to leave him at home when you go out to eat. Happily, there are plenty of great patios and sidewalk cafés where your pup is totally welcome. Here, the most dog-friendly restaurants in NYC.
The 18 Most Dog-Friendly Restaurants in NYC
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Published Jun 7, 2021
Hannah Loewentheil
1. Veselka
Veselka is one of those restaurants that we can rely on for just about any situation. Impromptu Sunday brunch with friends? Check. Pierogis and potato latkes at 3 a.m.? Check. Solo dinner with your dog? Yep—there’s wraparound sidewalk seating for when you want your dog to join in on the fun. This spot turns tables fairly quickly, so you usually won’t have to wait longer than about 20 minutes to snag one of those coveted outdoor seats. P.S. Make sure to inquire about the homemade dog bones at the pick-up counter.
144 Second Ave.; veselka.com
Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Saveur
2. Boat Basin Cafe
A trip to this Upper West Side institution feels like an escape from the city. Overlooking the Hudson River and marina, it’s a great spot for a relaxed group get-together. The food is your standard pub fare (think loaded nachos, salads, burgers), but it’s worth a trip for the cocktails, live music and great views…especially around sunset. Plus, there’s plenty of room for your dog to run around and breathe in the fresh ocean river air.
W. 79th St. at Hudson River; boatbasincafe.com
3. Evelina
Are you the type of person who prefers date night with the dog around? If so, this adorable Fort Greene eatery is for you. There’s a spacious sidewalk seating area with space for your pup to lounge on the ground while you and your (human) date share Mediterranean plates like crispy tempura soft-shell crab and airy whipped ricotta with focaccia. Brunch is also delightful here, especially when the avocado toast with Dungeness crab and runny poached egg is on the menu.
211 Dekalb Ave., Brooklyn; evelinabk.com
4. Pig Beach
If you’re searching for somewhere to wile away an entire Saturday with your pup, look no further than this Gowanus eatery. On any weekend afternoon, you’re guaranteed to see a minimum of three dog birthday parties going on (yes, you read that right). There’s a huge outdoor patio, a selection of frosé cocktails and a full barbecue menu featuring favorites like brisket and mac and cheese.
480 Union St., Brooklyn; pigbeachnyc.com
Courtesy of Esperanto
5. Esperanto
With its great vibes and solid Latin fusion food, Esperanto is an ideal place to sit outside on a breezy summer night with a refreshing caipirinha, a plate of ceviche and your beloved Frenchie, of course. There’s plenty of sidewalk seating, and thanks to its low-traffic location on Avenue C, you can enjoy your meal in relative peace and quiet (for New York, anyway). We should probably mention the restaurant also offers a bottomless brunch on weekends and live music on Friday nights.
145 Ave. C; esperantonyc.com
6. Lavender Lake
From the looks of it, this bar with a sprawling back patio seems like a great spot to spend a few hours with the help of a house cocktail or two. But below the surface, this sunny Gowanus spot also serves great food. There’s nothing fancy about this place, but when you’re craving comfort food, the fried calamari, duck carnitas nachos and fried chicken sandwich with slaw and aioli always hit the spot.
383 Carroll St., Brooklyn; lavenderlake.com
7. Crave Fishbar
Nothing gets us out of the office faster than a good happy hour. Crave Fishbar offers $1 oysters every day of the week (weekends included), and thanks to the cute outdoor seating area, your pup can tag along too. Stop by for a platter of East and West Coast oysters with a glass of rosé or stick around for a whole meal. The squid ink spaghetti with shrimp and the crispy grilled octopus with mustard vinaigrette are always staples on our table.
428 Amsterdam Ave.; cravefishbar.com
8. Rosemary’s
Every now and then, you need a spot to enjoy a bowl of spaghetti with your dog, and while reenacting that Lady and the Tramp scene would probably be weird, you can still grab a dog-friendly sidewalk table at this Italian eatery where many of the herbs and produce on the menu are grown on the restaurant’s own urban rooftop farm. You may be sitting on the corner of Greenwich Avenue, but with a bowl of yolky carbonara and an Aperol spritz, you can pretend you’re eating alfresco in a Roman piazza.
18 Greenwich Ave.; rosemarysnyc.com
9. Ruta Oaxaca
You might associate Astoria with Greek food, but don’t overlook this recently opened Oaxacan-style restaurant. Come for the large outdoor patio painted bright pink and stay for generously portioned dishes that come smothered in mole and the tequila cocktails that go down like juice.
35-03 Broadway (Queens); rutaoaxacamex.com
10. Lolo’s Seafood Shack
It’s easy to forget you’re on a busy block in Harlem when you step into the quiet and shady backyard at Lolo’s. The vibe is Caribbean beachside restaurant-meets New England lobster shack, and the menu covers everything from conch fritters and jerk ribs to a full seafood boil.
303 W 116th St; lolosseafoodshack.com
11. Tacoway Beach
Set just a few blocks from Rockaway Beach, this no-frills, funky taqueria feels more like San Diego than NYC. They’re open only during the summertime, but they make some of our favorite fish tacos in the city—beer battered, light, and super crispy. The sprawling patio filled with picnic tables makes it an easy place to bring Fido along.
302 Beach 87th St. (Far Rockaway); tacowaybeach.com
12. Wakuwaku
If you miss traveling, you’re in luck because having a meal at this Japanese izakaya in Industry City feels like being transported to Tokyo. Once a counter within Japan Village Market, WakuWaku has expanded into a sprawling courtyard with open air tables below a ceiling of Japanese lanterns. You’ll find yakitori skewers, sushi, dumplings, and more. But your pup will certainly be drooling as he watches you cook Japanese wagyu on your tabletop charcoal grill.
269 36th St, Brooklyn; wakuwakuny.com
13. Agnanti Meze
Ditmars Boulevard boasts plenty of delicious Greek restaurants, but this casual neighborhood spot just across from Astoria Park is one of our favorites. Grab one of the socially distanced tables on the outdoor patio, order a glass of crisp Assyrtiko wine and whatever you do, make sure to have the grilled octopus on the table.
19-06 Ditmars Blvd, Queens; agnantimeze.com
14. Johnny’s Reef Restaurant
If you’ve never had a meal at City Island, put a trip to Johnny’s Reef at the top of your NYC bucket list. This seafood shack just south of Orchard Beach has been around for decades, but they only recently added outdoor dining. On a sunny day, you and Fido will want to situate yourself on the seaside patio with a frozen cocktail and a big assortment of fried or steamed seafood.
2 City Island Ave (Bronx); johnnysreefrestaurant.com
15. Hudson Clearwater
Hudson Clearwater has been around since 2011, and it might not be the trendiest place to dine in the West Village, but that’s great for us because it means booking a table in the quiet back garden isn’t impossible. If you’re looking for a nice brunch or date night spot and can’t imagine leaving your dog behind, look no further.
447 Hudson St., hudsonclearwater.com
16. Ten Hope
If there’s one neighborhood that excels in patio seating, it’s Williamsburg, and this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with a leafy, ivy-draped patio is no exception. Come for brunch with a group and the pups, share some flatbreads and dips, and imbibe with a spritz or a mimosa.
10 Hope St. (Brooklyn); tenhopebk.com
17. Zero Otto Nove
If you’re looking for great Italian food, search no further than Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. This stretch of city starting at 189th Street is home to pizzerias, mozzarella shops, pastry stores and Italian delis. But for a sit-down meal with your pup, grab an al fresco table at Zero Otto Nove. Here, you’ll find excellent versions of classic Italian food from meatballs and pizza to a rotating selection of decadent pastas baked in foil.
2357 Arthur Ave (The Bronx); zeroottonove.com
18. Popina
This Cobble Hill eatery set on the Columbia Waterfront would easily make our short list of best patios in the city. There are tables spaced apart graciously, plenty of patio heaters, and string lights to get the vibes just right. Now pair all that with a rotating menu of delicious pastas, an Italian-focused wine list, and a place for your doggo to nestle at your feet while you feast.
127 Columbia St, Brooklyn; popinanyc.com
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