Sydney's Best Dog-Friendly Bars, Restaurants and Cafes for 2024
All of your friends — most importantly, those furry ones with four legs — are welcome at these friendly haunts.
An afternoon spent in a big Sydney beer garden with your mates is most definitely an afternoon well spent. There will be laughs, possibly a few jugs or bottles emptied, some good food and (hopefully) plenty of sunshine. But the most important thing is spending time with your buddies — all of your buddies. You wouldn't leave Dave at home would you? Or Sarah? Think how devastated they'd be if they found out you hadn't invited them.
Your best friend — aka human's best friend — would also get seriously hurt feelings if left at home, so the trick is to choose a venue where Rover is welcome, grab him a dish of water and sneak him a couple of bites of nachos under the table. Or even order him a meal of his own — you can do that at many of these spots (yep, some of them have dedicated canine menus).
Recommended reads:
The Ten Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Sydney
Dog-Friendly Destinations in the Blue Mountains
Image: Backyard at The Alex
In partnership with
-
CafeSplash Coffee
2A Station Street, Petersham
The Soulmate team has reinvented the pool canteen with this nostalgic cafe right by Petersham Park and the Fanny Durack Aquatic Centre.
-
BarThe Magpie
156 Enmore Road, Enmore
The big game's always on live and loud at this tiny Enmore Road sports bar from the Earl's Juke Joint team.
-
PubThe Dry Dock
22 Cameron Street, Balmain
Balmain's The Dry Dock is back over 160 years after it opened — with a classic ground-floor pub, a romantic lounge bar and a cracking 100-seat dining room.
-
-
BarHarper Rooftop Bar
339 Pitt Street, Sydney
A colourful dog-friendly rooftop bar with impressive bar snacks to be found on top of the Kimpton Margot.
-
RestaurantSmoking Gringos
1 Muru Way, Blacktown
The west's flavour-packed Mexican spot specialises in birria tacos — and it sold out in just a couple hours on its first Sunday.
-
RestaurantRosa Cienfuegos Tamaleria & Mexican Deli
463 Marrickville Road, Dulwich Hill
A Dulwich Hill hole-in-the-wall serving some of Sydney's best tacos and tamales.
-
CafeHavenstone
5 Fleet Street, North Parramatta
An all-day cafe serving familiar brunch classics in a heritage-listed sandstone building.
-
BarWhite Cockatoo Hotel
30 Terminus Street, Petersham
Call this top-notch neighbourhood pub home for the night or even a couple of weeks.
-
-
-
RestaurantSushi Jones Japanese Bistro
2–10 Fountain Street, Alexandria
An affordable, unassuming Japanese eatery that will let you bring you four-legged friend with you.
-
CafeThree Blue Ducks Rosebery
1/85 Dunning Avenue, Roseberry
This big, bright outpost of a Sydney fave brings farm-to-table ethos and darn good coffee to Rosebery's up-and-coming food precinct.
-
RestaurantAnnata
69 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest
A hatted Crows Nest gem stepping up the North Shore's fine dining game with a seriously impressive wine list.
-
BarThe Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre
8-12 Sydney Street, Marrickville
Located inside Hawke's Brewery, this neighbourhood pub harks back to boozers of the 1980s and serves an Australian-Chinese bistro menu with deep fried Viennetta.
-
BarThe Grifter Brewing Co.
391-397 Enmore Road, Marrickville
Marrickville's home of watermelon pilsner.
-
CafeGood Ways Deli Alexandria
81 Buckland Street, Alexandria
You'll find kangaroo mortadella sandwiches, Milo mocha and freshly baked loaves of bread at Good Ways Deli's Alexandria outpost.
-
BarYulli's Brews
75A Burrows Road, Alexandria
A totally vegan (and dog-friendly) taproom and restaurant.
-
BarRocks Brewing Co Tap House
160 Bourke Road, Alexandria
Brews inspired by the dubious characters of colonial past should be enjoyed in one of the best beer gardens in Sydney.
-
Bar7th Day Brewery
9 Powells Road, Brookvale
Visit Brookvale's local taphouse for award-winning brews, trivia, live tunes and cheap eats.
-
BarFreshwater Brewing Co
4 Powells Road, Brookvale
This welcoming 120-seat taproom and brewery is serving approachable beers and fresh seafood.
-
BarCamelia Grove Hotel
146 Henderson Road, Alexandria
The Camelia Grove underwent a massive overhaul and the result is an unabashedly family friendly pub with a bloody good Italian kitchen.
-
BarEnmore Country Club
182 Enmore Road, Enmore
Natural wines, local beers and nostalgic cocktails are at the heart of this retro 70s-style bar in Cottonmouth Records' former digs.
-
CafeWhite Rabbit Marrickville
30 Llewellyn Street, Marrickville
White Rabbit brings Sonoma sourdough and XO chilli scrambled eggs to the former West Juliett space.
-
BarThe Old Fitzroy Hotel
129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo
A classic old English feel, a toasty fireplace and charming regulars meet fancy French feeds and natty wines at this Woolloomooloo pub.
-
BarHarbord Hotel
29 Moore Road, Freshwater
Located just steps from the beach, this Sydney pub plays into its suburb's claim as the official birthplace of surfing in Australia.
-
BarThe Duke of Enmore
148 Enmore Road, Enmore
This Enmore Road mainstay has woodfire eats, natty wines, heavy metal and picklebacks aplenty.
-
BarWatsons Bay Boutique Hotel
1 Military Road, Watsons Bay
Stripy umbrellas, schoolyard benches and tres cute Breton-striped waitstaff add to the beachside charm.
-
-
CafeBrighter Coffee
102 Northumberland Avenue, Stanmore
This welcoming Stanmore cafe's kimchi toastie has a claim for one of the best toasted sandwiches in Sydney.
-
BarHenson Park Hotel
91 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Marrickville's beloved home of rugby league and beer garden bevs.
-
BarThe Courthouse Hotel
202 Australia Street, Newtown
The unpretentious, grungy gem of Newtown with one of the finest outdoor courtyards in Sydney.
-
BarThe Vic On The Park
2 Addison Road, Marrickville
This old Marrickville gem has been given the full Merivale treatment and it's totally working it.
-
CafeLaughin' Boy Cafe Restaurant
4 Punt Road, Emu Plains
A historic all-day cafe on the banks of the Nepean River.
-
RestaurantChez Crix
106 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
The Cricketers Arms was long overdue for a solid dining option and it has finally got it with Chez Crix.
-
BarBuddy's Bar Newtown
391 King Street, Newtown
This self-serve beer bar puts the power in your hands in the former home of Lentil As Anything.
-
-
BarBrewDog South Eveleigh
Bays 1 & 2, Locomotive Workshop, Eveleigh
BrewDog's flagship Sydney beer bar seats 720 beer aficionados inside and 190 outside, pouring 40 brews through its taps.
-
CafeGlory Days Bondi
3 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
This sibling cafe to the beloved North Sydney spot brings an all-day menu and European summer holiday energy to the Bondi Pavilion.
-
BarCricketers Arms Hotel
106 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
Known more intimately as the Crix, this is the kind of local that will make you want to move into the area.
-
CafeRollers Bakehouse
19 Rialto Lane, Manly
A pastel pink beachside bakehouse with some of Sydney's best croissants.
-
CafeOld Gold Cafe
1 Dangar Street, Chippendale
Try specialty coffee, single-origin Ecuadorian hot chocolates and sour cherry bagels inside an old confectionery warehouse.
-
CafeCirca Espresso
21 Wentworth Street, Parramatta
Middle Eastern-influenced brekkies and small-batch roasted coffee.
-
-
CafeCoffee Supreme Brookvale
11 Mitchell Road, Brookvale
This fan-favourite New Zealand coffee roaster has just opened its first Sydney cafe and roastery.
-
-
-
BarBackyard at The Alex
35 Henderson Road, Alexandria
This iconic Sydney pub returns with an expansive beer garden.
-
RestaurantGeneral Gordon Hotel
20 Swain Street, Sydenham
This inner west stalwart has reopened three years after being torn down by a fire and now features a dog-friendly courtyard and a bistro fitted with a woodfire oven.
-
CafeCafe Treeo
20 First Avenue, Sawtell
A beloved local cafe along Sawtell's fig tree-lined shopping strip.
-
-
-
CafeSmall's Deli
166 Victoria Street, Potts Point
A Potts Point hole-in-the-wall slinging A-plus sandwiches.
-
BarAlbion Hotel
135 George Street, Parramatta
Parramatta's late-night, dog-friendly pub has one of the best beer gardens in Sydney.
-
RestaurantHonkas Bar + Eats
11 Roslyn Street, Potts Point
A Potts Point eatery with pan-Asian food and free snacks for dogs.
-
CafeThe Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria
The Grounds is innovative, idealist and a little bit chic — in the best possible way.
-
BarThe Glebe Hotel
63 Bay Street, Glebe
This historic pub has been given a new name and dog-friendly courtyard.
-
RestaurantSunset Diner
41 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach
A millennial pink, Miami-inspired 'shake shack' on the northern beaches.
-
BarRedfern Surf Club
60 Botany Road, Alexandria
An Australiana-themed bar with cocktails in cans and a taxidermy ibis.
-
CafeThe Carpenter
76 Flood Street, Leichhardt
It's all in the details at this cafe hidden inside a warehouse in the backstreets of Leichhardt.
-
BarManly Spirits Co. Distillery Tasting Bar
9-13 Winbourne Road, Brookvale
This northern beaches distillery makes gin from kelp and sea parsley — and you can try it at its bar three days a week.
-
CafeNaked Brew
110 Swanson Street, Erskineville
This Erskineville cafe serves coffee and brekkie — and doggy-chinos and doughnuts for your dog.
-
BarSneaky Possum
86 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale
Chippendale's multifaceted bar can satisfy your morning caffeine fix and your late-night margarita craving.
-
BarBotany View Hotel
597 King Street, Newtown
An iconic south King Street pub that's home to one of Sydney's best beer gardens.
-
BarNo. 5 Restaurant and Bar
5 McCauley Street, Alexandria
Once a gemstone processing facility, now a local restaurant with a cosy fire, craft beer and a pooch area.
-
-
BarEast Village Hotel
234 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst
The three-tiered Darlinghurst pub gets a new life with an upstairs sports bar and rooftop terrace.
-
-
-
CafeHenry Lee's
Eveleigh Creative Precinct, Hart Street, Redfern
This cafe has a strong emphasis on community, sourcing produce and drinks from local businesses.
-
-
-
PubPublic House Petersham
292 Stanmore Road, Petersham
Come for the for the beer garden, stay for the pub grub, natty wine, DJ sets and trivia.
-
-
BarThe Bearded Tit
183 Regent Street, Redfern
Turn left at the crocheted penises and enter Redfern's brazen art bar.
-
BarThe Winery
285A Crown Street, Surry Hills
Drinking classy means having a 'champagne bell' alert the waitstaff when your glass gets empty.
-
BarThe Duck Inn Pub & Kitchen
74 Rose Street, Chippendale
Across from the Seymour Centre and hidden just out of view from the hustle of Cleveland Street is a real quacker of a pub.
-
CafeFour Ate Five
485 Crown Street, Surry Hills
Yes, on the weekends you'll be hard pressed to bag a seat straightaway, but it's definitely worth waiting it out.
-
BarThe Beresford Hotel
354 Bourke Street, Surry Hills
A Surry Hills pub with one of the best courtyards in town.
You can find Abbott’s Bakery products at all major supermarkets — and discover more tasty Sandwich recipes at Abbotts.com/recipes.