Restaurants

I recently got my first dog EVER. He’s now a high energy six month old Pomeranian puppy with the good fortune of living in Venice Beach—arguably the dog capital of Los Angeles.

When I lived in Belgium many years ago, I found it strange (and hygienically questionable) that so many people brought their dogs with them to restaurants, cafes and bars.  Asking around, I heard a (probably apocryphal) story that the practice became common shortly after WWII when half the male population was wiped out. The story goes that Belgian women got dogs to replace their lost husbands and sons and began bringing them everywhere they would have taken their human men. That (combined with a weak health code) led to widespread acceptability of dogs in public places. I admit I used to scowl, but my puppy Cody has made me a convert. The following is a list of Venice restaurants that welcome dogs!  IF YOU KNOW OF ANY I’VE MISSED, OR WOULD LIKE TO START A LIST FOR ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD IN LOS ANGELES, SEND ME YOUR SUGGESTIONS!
~ Darcy Noricks

NEIGHBORHOOD: ABBOT KINNEY

Sauce on Hampton

259 Hampton Drive

A little further toward Rose than Abbot Kinney, but worth a mention. Amazing chocolate chip cookies! Your dog is welcome at either of the outside tables.

The Brickhouse Kitchen

826 Hampton Drive

Great breakfast food and a lovely dog-friendly covered patio.

3 Square Café and Bakery

1121 Abbot Kinney

Describing themselves as a “casual, contemporary neighborhood eatery serving “3 square meals,” their imaginative menu puts a twist on ‘square’! Dogs allowed at the outside tables at both the restaurant and bakery.

Glencrest BBQ

1146 Abbot Kinney

Down home cooking and great mac ‘n cheese, cornbread and BBQ chicken. Two outside tables are perfect for you and your pup.

Abbot’s Habit and Abbot’s Pizza

1407 Abbot Kinney

Although they recently removed their outdoor tables, they promise to reinstall them soon so your dog will be welcome again.

French Market Café

2321 Abbot Kinney

Our FAVORITE breakfast spot—also delicious sangria in the afternoon! Dogs allowed on the large outside deck. My dog Cody gets about a block away and starts running top speed to his favorite table!

Intelligentsia (Coffee)

1331 Abbot Kinney

Really not a restaurant since there is virtually no food, but if you have a “slavish single-minded devotion to coffee perfection” (thank you Bob Friday for the apt description), and don’t mind waiting 30 minutes for your latte, this is your place. Your dog is allowed at the outside tables.

N’ice Cream (Dessert)

1410 Abbot Kinney

For dessert, stop by for some homemade gelato (even lower in calories than frozen yogurt they like to tell you). Your dog can sit at one of the 3 outside tables with you.

The Other Room (Beer & Wine; no Food)

1201 Abbot Kinney

The dogs have their own happy hour here every night, hanging out below the window seats where their owners are sitting. You can’t interact with your dog too much, but you can lean out the window and pet and reassure her.

NEIGHBORHOOD: VENICE BEACH & BOARDWALK

Canali Café

123 Washington Blvd.

Dogs allowed on the covered patio. We had the best soup, salad and bread here one cool evening—but they have lots of other good stuff too—Italian continental is the best way to describe the menu.

The Terrace Café

7 Washington Blvd

Dogs allowed on the covered patio and all kinds of good food and cheap drinks!

Venice Ale House

2 Rose Avenue (at Ocean Front Walk)

Organic , locally-sourced food and drink with a great beach front patio. Dogs welcome on the large patio.

Don’t forget to leave a COMMENT if you know of other restaurants/cafes ANYWHERE in LA where dogs are welcome and we’ll keep updating and expanding this list!