The 20 Best Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Cape Town

Tired of having to leave the fur-family at home when you eat out? Fret not: we’ve sniffed out a clutch of dog-friendly restaurants, where pooches are welcome. From promenade cafés with plenty of outside seating to establishments that boast special menus for your canine companions, there’s no shortage of delicious places to pop in for breakfast after a walk, or for an inclusive family celebration… paws and all!

The Foodbarn

At The Foodbarn, chef-patron Franck Dangereux (who created the original La Colombe more than 30 years ago) channels laidback neighbourhood vibes at the heart of Noordhoek Farm Village, with tables spilling onto a covered verandah (perfect after a sandy beach walk) and vibrant decor inside. Franck’s roots in southern France inform his hearty, earthy style in a menu that ranges from daytime-café breakfasts and bistro lunches to elegant tapas dinners with superb wines.
Pet-friendly perks As well as providing water to keep your pooch happy and sated, the restaurant has easy access to a grassy outdoor communal area where dogs (and kids) can play.
Good to know Dogs should be kept on leash.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 8am – 9.30pm
Sunday + Monday, 8am – 3pm
Contact 021 789 1390, info@thefoodbarn.co.za
Where to find it Noordhoek Farm Village, Corner Village Lane and Noordhoek Main Road, Noordhoek, Cape Town
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Lighthouse Café

There’s plenty for your canine companion to love about the peaceful seaside getaway of Simon’s Town – just ask Just Nuisance – and The Lighthouse Café is one of them. Since chef/owner Mike Israel took over in 2021, he’s introduced a few menu changes at the iconic local café, adding a warm Thai seafood salad, and locally caught fish with a coconut cream sauce. But he’s kept the straightforward breakfasts and bistro-style dishes that locals and tourists love, including the famous beer-battered fish and chips.
Pet-friendly perks Fresh water is always available for thirsty furries.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 8.30am – 10pm
Sunday + Monday, 8.30am – 4pm
Contact 087 700 6421
Where to find it 90 St Georges Street, Simon’s Town, Cape Town

The Melting Pot

The nomadic inspiration behind John van Zyl’s The Melting Pot has come to rest in Cape Town’s De Waterkant (where The Charles used to be), with delightful café tables under the trees and a rooftop terrace. Their signature punchy global streetfood flavours inspired by their wide-ranging travels feature on a menu where ordering “one of everything” comes highly recommended.
Pet-friendly perks Plenty of shaded spots to relax under the trees and a fountain with cooling spray on hot days. Water bowls on request.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 12pm – 2.30pm; 6pm – 9.30pm
Contact 066 363 2559, info@themeltingpotct.com
Where to find it 137 Waterkant Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town
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Limoncello

Under the shade of ancient milkwood trees, with ocean and mountain views, Limoncello has a neighbourhood family feel and delicious food inspired by Luca Castiglione’s native Naples. The breezy Noordhoek vibe is perfect for post-beach-walk treats: you might find fish caught that day by a local fisherman on the chalkboard special menu, or go for the excellent and authentic wood-fired, thin-based, puffy-crusted pizzas.
Pet-friendly perks Outside tables under the milkwood trees are perfect for dogs to doze while you’re eating (well-behaved dogs can be off-leash) and a water bowl is always forthcoming on request.
Opening times Tuesday – Thursday, 5pm – 10pm
Friday – Sunday, 12pm – 10pm
Contact 071 114 8947, limoncellonoordhoek@gmail.com
Where to find it Corner Beach Road & Pine Street, Noordhoek, Cape Town
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Maria’s Greek Café and Restaurant

Charming Dunkley Square, with its piazza-like bricked pavement and trees, is home to this beloved Greek taverna, where Cleon and Kate Romano have been serving top-notch food for more than three decades. Expect traditional fare based on Cleon’s mom’s and Kate’s recipes, fresh and bursting with simple, bold flavours. And the outside tables are the perfect post-walk breakfast destination for city-slicker pups and their owners with a laid-back Mediterranean vibe.
Pet-friendly perks There’s a communal water bowl at the entrance – and sometimes free-range Karoo lamb bones are on offer for your four-legged friend. Well-behaved dogs can be off-leash.
Opening times Monday, 11am – 10pm
Tuesday – Saturday, 8.30am – 10pm
Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Contact 021 461 3333, info@marias.co.za
Where to find it 31 Barnet Street, Dunkley Square, Gardens, Cape Town

Our Local

A wonderfully eclectic space converted from an old mechanic’s workshop is now a cool and cosy (and Jamie Oliver-approved!) café that’s brimming with plants, collectables, vintage furniture, and a fountain that wouldn’t look out of place in an Italian piazza. It’s a go-to spot for breakfast, lunch, coffee-and-cake and dinner, with a long communal table down the middle and plenty of quirkily furnished nooks around the sides, where there’s room for a pooch to tuck under the table.
Pet-friendly perks A water bowl by the door and dog treats available to purchase. There’s always a warm welcome for the many four-legged regulars, and they have an instax instant camera and a dog wall where they put up pics of your pups.
Good to know There’s now a second Our Local with a similarly eclectic vibe in Sea Point (295 Main Road).
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 8am – 11pm
Sunday + Monday, 8am – 3.30pm
Contact 064 642 5004, eat@ourlocal.co.za
Where to find it 117 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town
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The Gardener’s Cottage

This 30-year-old restaurant at the Montebello Design Centre offers a tranquil reprieve from the noise of the city (squirrel spotting included), and it’s the perfect place to refuel after a Newlands Forest walk. On sunny days, sit outdoors under the camphor trees amid lush gardens and enjoy delicious home-cooked breakfasts, leisurely lunches, and dinners as dusk gently falls. The sourdough seed loaf for the open sandwiches is absolutely addictive!
Pet-friendly perks Plenty of shaded outside tables with space to lie comfortably, and squirrel spotting for thrills. Water bowls are offered.
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday, 8am – 9pm (summer); 8.30am – 4.30pm (winter)
Sunday, 8.30am – 4.30pm
Contact 021 689 3158,  bookings@gardenerscottage.co.za
Where to find it Montebello Design Centre, 31 Newlands Avenue, Newlands, Cape Town
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Step Brothers

Step Brothers’ new home at the Three Anchor Bay tennis club (now fresh from a renovation) spills out onto tables beside the tennis courts. In relaxed Italian style it combines bar, deli and locanda, serving an array of classic favourites, such as hearty, homemade pasta dishes adapted from their nonna’s traditional recipes, and a dedicated wood-fired pizza oven churning out crisp pizzas topped with mozzarella from Puglia Cheese.
Pet-friendly perks Perfectly placed next to Green Point Urban Park, it’s the natural conclusion to any paw-patrol outing with outside tables for four-legged socials (on leash). Water bowls are provided and there is a dog menu coming soon.
Good to know They are opening a new spot in Camps Bay that will also be dog-friendly.
Opening times Sunday – Thursday, 8am –10pm
Friday + Saturday, 8am –11pm  
Contact 021 569 0153, gionathan@stepbrothers.co.za
Where to find it Three Anchor Bay Tennis Club, Bill Peters Drive, Three Anchor Bay, Cape Town
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Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel

Afternoon tea at this “grande dame” is a Cape Town institution and unexpectedly your furry companion is also invited. Settle into a table on the verandah or the sunny terrace overlooking the magnificent gardens with a three-course feast served on silver-tiered stands: from sumptuous savoury pastries and delicate finger sandwiches, to warm scones and sublime confections dreamed up by pastry chef Matthew Paulsen.
Pet-friendly perks No need for your pup to wait for crumbs to fall from the table: the special dog tea menu includes rare roast beef, meatloaf and peanut butter bone biscuits. There are a few dog-friendly indoor tables for bad-weather days. And there are designated doggie ablution facilities near the tennis courts.
Good to know Vegan and gluten-free menus are available with advance notice. Champagne can also be ordered to make your après-midi that much more sparkling. And there are pet-friendly rooms with curated amenities should you be looking to stay the night.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 11am – 3pm (seating slots each hour)
Contact 021 483 1000, restaurantreservations.mnh@belmond.com
Where to find it 76 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town
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The Strangers Club

Just off Green Point’s Main Road, in a heritage farmstead dating from 1828, this hidden treasure is inspired by a 1940s book about a place in La Paz where travellers met to share stories and trade goods. The Strangers Club is both a restaurant and retail space and the lush courtyard eatery is the perfect spot to recharge with pups after a morning stroll. The menu is based on seasonal local ingredients, ranging from hearty dishes such as a full English breakfast, to easy-going lunch options such as burgers, salads and grilled sandwiches.
Pet-friendly perks Water bowls and head scratches are provided.
Good to know There are vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. The breakfast menu is served until 11.45am on weekdays and until closing on Saturdays.
Opening times Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm
Saturday, 9am – 2pm
Contact 021 434 3540
Where to find it 1 Braemar Road, Green Point, Cape Town
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Chardonnay Deli @ High Constantia

Set in a century-old farm building near Groot Constantia, this deli-eatery oozes warm hospitality and good vibes. Add magical forest views, plenty of outside tables, friendly staff and an owner (Charmaine Lilje) who cut her teeth working with some of Cape Town’s top chefs and you’re all set for a relaxed and delicious lunch out with the fur kids. Think smoothie bowls, flapjacks, croissants, homemade pies and quiches, salads, wraps, burgers and a piping hot casserole or dish of the day.
Pet-friendly perks Shady spots to relax in the garden and on the patio, and a welcoming water bowl is offered. There are dog treats at the till to purchase.
Good to know If you’re in Kalk Bay, pop into its sister café opposite Dalebrook pool, also dog-friendly. Note: Constantia Uitsig doesn’t allow dogs.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 7am – 6pm (kitchen 7.30am – 5.30pm)
Contact 021 795 0606, info@chardonnaydeli.co.za
Where to find it 87 Constantia Main Road, Constantia, Cape Town

Café Roux

A Noordhoek neighbourhood hub with tables spilling out at the heart of the Farm Village shaded by oak trees and umbrellas, Cafe Roux is an ideal stop after a stroll on Noordhoek common at any time of day or year. There are cosy fireside tables for winter and an irresistible casual menu that takes you from breakfast and lunch through coffee and home-baked cake to evening pizzas, and it’s legendary for its live music and comedy evenings too.
Pet-friendly perks Dogs are welcome outside, with water bowls provided, and there’s a communal grassy area on one side for kids and pups to play.
Opening times Monday + Tuesday, 8am – 6pm
Wednesday – Saturday, 8am – 9pm
Sunday, 8.30am – 8pm
Contact 021 789 2538
Where to find it Noordhoek Farm Village, Chapmans Peak Drive, Noordhoek, Cape Town
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Starlings Café

Hidden away in a Victorian home behind a hedge on Belvedere Road, Starlings is a warm and hospitable café with high ceilings and wooden floors, but it’s the enclosed garden at the back (with slivers of mountain views) that calls after a morning off-leash scamper in Keurboom Park or a run on Rondebosch Common. Come for the varied breakfast menu, coffee and cake, or a leisurely lunch.
Pet-friendly perks Endless shaded garden nooks to snooze in, and waterbowls provided.
Good to know It’s walk-ins only here, so you may have to wait for a table at busy times, but service is efficient and it’s a beautiful laidback space to hang out in.
Opening times Monday – Friday, 7am – 4pm
Saturday, 7am – 3pm (breakfast all day)
Contact 072 051 0491, starlingscafe@gmail.com
Where to find it 94 Belvedere Road, Claremont, Cape Town

Aegir Project

Chilled, pooch-friendly vibes by the sea and under the milkwoods in Noordhoek, The Aegir Project Brewery serves delicious, more-posh-than-pub food, legendary burgers and some of the craftiest beers on the peninsula. Founded by Rory Lancellas, his wife Carey and their dog Aegir in 2015, this small independent brewery produces a range of natural and additive-free ales, pilsners, lagers and stouts.
Pet-friendly perks Outside tables under the milkwoods are a shady place to relax after a beach-walk and water bowls are provided.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 9am – 11pm
Contact 066 587 9324
Where to find it 65 Beach Road, Noordhoek, Cape Town
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Café Paradiso

At the upper end of Kloof Street, Café Paradiso entices diners with the aroma of baking bread and a charming garden and courtyard with slices of mountain views. It’s a perfect place for pooches to relax after a De Waal Park saunter, while you tuck into pastas, burgers, pizzas and salads, or refuel on delicious breakfast.
Pet-friendly perks Cool shaded nooks to stretch out in and a water bowl to lap on request.
Good to know The garden is closed when the southeaster is blowing a gale, and the sheltered back courtyard can accommodate a limited number of dogs, so call ahead to book if you plan to bring your pet.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 8am – 12am
Contact 021 003 8102, info@allyoursco.com
Where to find it 110 Kloof Street, Gardens, Cape Town
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Clarke’s Dining Room

With its Scandi decor, carefully sourced ingredients and artisanal kitchen luring you in for all-day breakfasts and lazy brunches, Clarke’s is a Bree Street staple for innercity locals and their four-legged pals. The kitchen shows off a dozen interesting takes on eggs for all-day breakfasts, and segues easily into sourdough Reubens, salads, a beloved four-cheese mac ’n cheese and their legendary burgers on fresh-baked buns.
Pet-friendly perks The pavement seating is perfect for sociable pooch-watching, and water bowls are provided as soon as furry friends are spotted. Ditto oat dog treats are available to purchase.
Good to know No more than two dogs per table. It’s cashless.
Opening times Monday – Friday, 7am – 11pm (kitchen closes 9.30pm)
Saturday, 8am – 11pm; Sunday, 8am – 3pm
Contact 087 470 0165, info@clarkescapetown.co.za
Where to find it 133 Bree Street, Cape Town
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Sonny and Irene

Dressed in pastel pink, marble and oak, this delightful Sea Point café blends Art Deco nostalgia with up-to-the-minute accents, a fitting backdrop for the most pampered of pooches. To match the gorgeous interiors, the menu combines retro, classic and contemporary flavours, from breakfast and all-day brunch to lunch and dinner dishes, sultry sundowners and an array of breads, bagels and bakes from the in-house bakery.
Pet friendly perks Fur-family are made welcome on the equally picture-perfect covered outside terrace. There are water bowls available and you can also have one brought to your table.
Good to know There is secure underground parking in the Station House building. Breakfast is served until 11.30am and a brunch menu runs until 5pm.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 7.30am – 10pm
Contact 021 745 6600, reservations@sonnyandirene.co.za
Where to find it Station House, 19 Kloof Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
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Jonkershuis

The oldest wine estate in South Africa, Groot Constantia is spilling over with atmosphere, ancient oaks and historic buildings and plenty of space to explore on wanders through vineyards, oak-lined avenues and gardens with the fur-family. Afterwards head to the outside tables at Jonkershuis for breakfast, lunch and dinner with Cape Malay curries, salads, pastas and burgers on the menu.
Pet-friendly perks Water bowls are readily available outside and you can request one for your table too.
Good to know Simon’s Restaurant on the same estate also welcomes dogs on leashes.
Opening times Monday – Saturday, 8am – 9pm
Sunday, 8am – 5pm
Contact 021 794 6255, reservations@jhuis.co.za
Where to find it Groot Constantia, Constantia, Cape Town
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Sotano

This Mediterranean-inspired spot has been a stalwart of the Mouille Point promenade for 15 years, the wide verandah a natural stop-off for breakfast after a morning dog-walk, for lunch gatherings with friends feasting on seafood, sushi and salads, for sundowners and tapas, and for date-night dinners, with views towards the bay and lighthouse.
Pet-friendly perks Dogs are treated like royalty on the terrace with a pillow to relax on, water bowls brought to the table, and a special Fur Babies menu.
Opening times Monday – Sunday, 7am – 11pm
Contact 021 433 1757, info@sotano.co.za
Where to find it 121 Beach Road, Mouille Point, Cape Town
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