If you are looking for a pet-friendly restaurant in Cape Town, we have 25 recommendations for you.
Not all restaurants are averse to your four-legged best friend joining you at the dinner table. Many have water bowls on hand, some keep biscuits for a welcome treat and a few even offer a pet menu. If you are looking for a pet-friendly restaurant in Cape Town to take your canine companion, I (and my dog) recommend you visit one of these eateries.
1. The Lighthouse Café, Simon’s Town
Contact: Tel 0217869000, thelighthousecafe.co.za
This cheerful café along the main drag in Simon’s Town allows well-behaved dogs to join you for a bite to eat, be it a cappucino with vanilla French toast for breakfast or a chicken pot pie for lunch. Their menu covers breakfast and lunch and includes sweetcorn fritter stacks served with bacon and maple syrup, West Coast Mussels and Springbok carpaccio, along with a range of burgers, seafood dishes, pasta dishes, pizza, salads and grills. Vegetarians are well catered for too.
2. Café Honeybun, Observatory
Contact: Tel 0214470606 or follow them on Facebook
Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome to join you outside at this warm coffee shop that believes in life one cup at a time. Apart from serving a wide range of coffees, teas, smoothies and juices, their extensive menu includes breakfast items, salads, soups, sandwiches, toasties, burgers and light lunches from curries to quiche. All at very reasonable prices too!
3. Café Paradiso, Kloof Street
Contact: Tel 0214220403, cafeparadiso.co.za
This charming restaurant has seating indoors, on balconies, in a large garden and a courtyard and your pet is not only welcome to join you, but is invited. Note that the garden area closes when there are high winds and the courtyard is small with limited seating, so best to call ahead and book if you really want to take your canine companion with you. Humans can enjoy a wide variety of breakfast options, sandwiches, burgers and other light meals and desserts. Kids will love it too and they can join various classes from baking to pizza-making.
4. Caffé Verdi, Chelsea Village
Contact: Tel 0217620849, caffe-verdi.co.za
Situated just across the road from Maynardville Park and open seven days a week, Caffé Verdi is something of an institution where locals and those in the know meet for drinks and a meal in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Your dog is most welcome to join you in the sunny courtyard area while you feast on pizza (they are well-known for their great pizzas) or perhaps a sandwich or burger, along with a cold beer or glass of wine.
5. Chalk and Cork, Kloof Street
Contact: Tel 0214225822, chalkandcork.co.za
Your dog may join you outside in the courtyard while you tuck into a selection of tapas under the trees at this fun-loving restaurant in Kloof Street. They have a good selection of tapas dishes, including cheese and charcuterie boards, fish, meat and vegetable options, along with wood-fired pizzas and a small dessert offering.
6. The Company’s Gardens Restaurant, City Centre
Contact: Tel 0214232919, thecompanysgarden.com
The latest offering from Madame Zingara doesn’t disappoint, with plenty of seating under the trees or indoors, along with a menu for all tastes and budgets, including a selection of authentic South African dishes. Your dog is most welcome to join you at a table outside, while children will love the jungle gym and collection of wooden animals.
7. Deer Park Café, Vredehoek
Contact: Tel 0214626311, deerparkcafe.co.za
This popular restaurant with a Table Mountain backdrop features seasonal and free range produce on their menu. You can expect thicker cut bacon, homemade muffins and burgers, handcut potato wedges and tables big enough for both your laptop and your food. They also cater for meat-eaters, vegans and vegetarians, along with those who follow a gluten-free or banting diet. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to join you outside. Children will also enjoy running on the lawns and playing on the swings and jungle gyms.
8. Dizzys Restaurant and Pub, Camps Bay
Contact: Tel 0214382686, dizzys.co.za
A relaxed and casual spot along the platinum mile in Camps Bay that offers wood-fired pizzas, homemade burgers and a selection of light bites to go with your beer – they have the widest selection of beer on tap in Camps Bay, along with craft beers and other beverages. While you are there, your pooch can go through their pet menu and choose from a Beef Poochalicious Patty, a scrumptious meaty sauce or grilled chicken strips all served on a bed of brown rice. Or simply enjoy a Puppuccino!
9. Dunes Beach Restaurant and Bar, Hout Bay
Contact: Tel 0217901876, dunesrestaurant.co.za
Dunes has long been popular with those who have children and pets and although it can get windy at times, it’s in a truly beautiful spot right by the sea, which makes it a good spot for walk with your pooch before or after your meal. They have a fairly extensive menu from breakfast right through to dinner, including seafood, sushi, grills, burgers and pizza. As you would expect from a bar by the sea, they do great cocktails too!
10. Espresso.kom, Kommetjie
Contact: Tel 0217830342, or follow them on Facebook.
Known for their great breakfasts, this spot will give your (well-behaved) dog a very warm welcome and all the biscuits they bake are dog-friendly too! They have a sunny outside garden with an enclosed play area for children and cosy seating inside for chillier days. Apart from breakfast they have light meals available from midday onwards that offer good value for money. All their ingredients are locally sourced and they also grow their own herbs.
11. Forester’s Arms Restaurant & Bar, Newlands
Contact: Tel 0216895949, forries.co.za
This popular spot that’s being welcoming people through their doors since 1852 also welcomes dogs and provides water bowls so they too can enjoy a drink while you enjoy one of their 11 on-tap draughts. Apart from a wide selection of beers, and other beverages, they also serve up hearty plates of food including pub grub favourites such as steak, egg and chips, bangers & mash and steak & stout pie, alongside various other dishes. Their Sunday Carvery is a weekly tradition that’s been celebrated for over 100 years and is well worth making a booking for.
12. The Foodbarn, Noordhoek
Contact: Tel 0217891390, thefoodbarn.co.za
Whether you are looking for a freshly baked croissant with coffee or a slice of cake with tea, a hearty breakfast or an evening with friends over tapas, the Foodbarn Deli has it all. Their deli shop stays open late into the evening so you can grab something to eat on the go or if you simply don’t feel like cooking. They also happily provide biscuits and water for visiting dogs.
13.The Gardener’s Cottage, Newlands
Contact: Tel 0216893158, montebello.co.za
The Gardener’s Cottage, the original gatekeeper’s cottage on Montebello Estate, has been serving breakfasts, lunches and light meals since 1993. Sit outside under the magnificent old camphor trees, or take a seat inside alongside the delicious deli goodies. Keep an eye out for Montebello Open Nights, when the centre stays open after nightfall and you can enjoy a tapas selection at this restaurant after perusing interesting art and craftworks by talented local artists. Dogs on leashes are welcome to join you at your table outside and they also have a large jar of dog biscuits available if your pooch is feeling peckish. This is always a popular spot, so it’s best to book ahead.
14. La Belle Bistro & Bakery, Constantia
Contact: Tel 0217956336, www.alphen.co.za/laBelle
Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome to join you at your table outside (water bowl provided) at this Parisian-style bakery in the heart of a historical hotel in leafy Constantia. They serve breakfasts and light meals, and if you love pastries, cakes and desserts you are in for a real treat! On Saturdays they host Cocktails & Cupcakes which is definitely worth a stop. The restaurant also features a deli section where you can buy local and homemade treats including charcuterie, cheeses, confectioneries, condiments and preserves. Plus the Alphen Hotel is next door to the popular Alphen Trail which is a great spot to take your hound for a walk before or after your meal.
15. La Petite Tarte, Cape Quarter
Contact: Tel 0214259077, or follow them on Facebook.
You’ll be transported to a Parisian boulangerie the minute you step into this sidewalk cafe that has plenty of space under cool shady trees, making it perfect for pets and you on a hot summer’s day! They offer breakfasts, lunches and dinners and it is said that their carrot cake is legendary! Choose from Malay dishes, pastas, wood-smoked pizza, burgers, seafood and grills.
16. The 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa, Camps Bay
Contact: Tel 0214379029, 12apostleshotel.com
The Leopard Bar at this hotel welcomes small pets (including cats) and they even go as far as to give your feline friend or happy hound a cushion to snooze on. They also have their own personal pet menu that includes meaty meals such as beef fillet steak with boiled potato wedges and gravy ; salmon trout with scrambled egg; and a chopped vegetable and chicken salad with chicken breast, carrots, apple, wilted spinach and dried cranberries. The Café Grill is also pet-friendly and if you really want to spoil your dog they have selected pet-friendly suites. Humans can tuck into breakfasts, light meals and Tea By The Sea (including a Vegan High Tea) along with gin making, craft beer tasting and cocktails at The Leopard Bar, while the Café Grill offers breakfasts to burgers and seafood dishes to salads.
17. Manna Epicure, Kloof Street
Contact: Tel 0214262413, mannaepicure.com
Dine in style with your dog at this elegant restaurant in the city that describes itself as “a delicious, dynamic fusion of the most chic French flair with a rustic South African approach to experimental food science.” Breakfasts are served all day (early birds can tuck into half-price breakfasts every day before 09:00) while the lunch menu includes salads, burgers and pastas along with fish and meat dishes. Dinner sees a selection of starters, followed by gourmet burgers, seafood and grills on the menu, as well as delicious desserts and a cheese board. You can also enjoy a set dinner menu for a very reasonable price daily between 17:00 and 19:00.
18. Massimo’s Italian Restaurant, Hout Bay
Contact: Tel 0217905648, www.pizzaclub.co.za
This restaurant not only has a doggy menu, that includes a bone-shaped mini pizza, a frozen hoof stuffed with chicken and butternut and a puppaccino (milky froth), they also donate R1 to the Underdog Project for every menu item ordered. So not only can your pooch enjoy his own treat, they will be suppawting a good cause too! Massimo’s has an extensive menu that includes Italian dishes and Italian tapas, along with a large vegan menu. The restaurant itself is cosy and inviting with seating inside and out and a large fenced off area where your dog can stretch his legs after his pizza.
19. Ons Huisie, Bloubergstrand
Contact: Tel 0215541553, www.onshuisie.co.za
Everyone, including dogs, is welcome at this quaint seaside restaurant and they have even have a water fountain especially for your four-legged family members who are likely to be thirsty after a run on the beach. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner I still say that they serve the best mussel pot in town! There is mostly seafood on the menu, but you’ll also find a small selection of salads, pies, burgers and grills. The restaurant is also fairly protected from the wind, which is a huge bonus.
20. Pastis Brasserie, Constantia
Contact: Tel 0217948334, pastisbrasserie.co.za
All dogs are most welcome to join you outside (on leashes) in The Merry Monk courtyard, while small dogs are allowed in The Merry Monk bar on your lap during winter. Pastis has been situated alongside the vineyards of Groot Constantia since 2004 and still offers hearty meals in a cosy atmosphere at reasonable prices. They have an excellent half-price breafast offer during the winter season, while pensioners (over 60) can enjoy can enjoy a special lunch menu every Monday – over 90s eat for free! Plus they have happy hour at the Merry Monk between 17:00-18:00 on Mondays to Thursdays. Open from breakfast to dinner, you can choose to nibble on snack platters, munch a burger or sandwich or tuck into a plate of pasta, steak, seafood or curry.
21. The Red Herring, Noordhoek
Contact: Tel 0217891783, www.theredherring.co.za
The shady courtyard area features comfortable couches for humans while their dogs can get a water bowl and much fussing over by the restaurant staff. Their pizzas are some of the best in town, while they also have a very reasonably-priced tapas/canapes menu if you’re on a budget, or just looking for a snack to accompany your beer or cocktail. If you are looking for something more filling, they serve potpies, lamb shank, curries, seafood dishes, grills and burgers. Vegetarians and vegans are also most welcome.
22. Red Sofa Café, Vredehoek
Contact: Tel 0214617274, redsofacafe.co.za
This café has become an integral part of the Vredehoek cafe culture, offering breakfast and lunches seven days a week, along with free WiFi and power points for those who need to do some work. There’s always a dog water bowl outside and they even offer your pooch a plate of doggy bacon! Their extensive breakfast menu is available all day, while they also have wraps, burgers, salads and sandwiches along with a selection of small bites if you are feeling peckish. There are also vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes available.
23. Rhodes Memorial Restaurant & Tea Garden
Contact: Tel 0216870000, rhodesmemorial.co.za
Dogs are welcome at this restaurant with a view and they will definitely love the biscuits from the giant doggie-biscuit jar! Plus there are hiking trails near the restaurant where you can take your dog for a good walk to build up an appetite, or to walk off your meal. The menu changes seasonally and while it may not be gourmet dining, there is a fantastic view over the city that can be enjoyed from the tables outside during summer, while winters favour a cosy meal inside by a roaring fire. In addition, children will love the playground with swings, slides, jungle gym and sand pit.
24. Suikerbossie Restaurant, Hout Bay
Contact: Tel 0217901450, suikerbossie.co.za
Suikerbossie is still one of the most popular spots in Cape Town on Sundays for their breakfast and lunch buffets (the roast lunch buffet is a sight to behold) along with their afternoon tea. They have an a la carte menu during the week which includes breakfast dishes and light meals for lunch. Your dog can join you at your table outside while you enjoy your meal and the wonderful views. Bookings are essential.
25. Winchester Mansions, Sea Point
Contact: Tel 0214342351, winchester.co.za
Small dogs on a leash are welcome to join you on the terrace of this beautiful sea-facing historical hotel where you can watch the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean while enjoying a Cosmopolitan or Mojito from Harvey’s Bar. Apart from cocktails, the bar also serves lemonades and iced teas, while their bar menu includes snacks, light meals, cakes and desserts.
If you have any other suggestions of Cape Town eateries where people can take their dogs, please let us know in the comments section below.
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