DINNER FOR TWO, PLUS POOCH

12 Great Places to Dine with Your Dog
in San Francisco

By Daneen Akers

My husband and I are often teased by friends and family that we treat our Beagle-ish mutt Pali more like our child than our dog. This comment is generally made by folks who think a dog belongs in a kennel in the backyard, while I can’t imagine not having Pali curled up next to me on the couch. We simply enjoy life more when Pali is a part of it — we take her with us to work and on vacation, and sometimes reconsider dinner party invitations when we know she isn’t welcome.

Needless to say, we also enjoy dining out much more when Pali gets to come along. After spending last summer in dog-loving Paris, where she was cheerily welcomed and patted by maître d’s the city over, we were more determined than ever to find fido-friendly dining options in San Francisco when we returned. Turns out that in our fair city, also known worldwide for its fine food and wine, great dining destinations abound where both you and your dog will be treated as welcome guests.

Here are twelve San Francisco restaurants and cafés, roughly organized from west to east, that will be happy to see your canine companion. Several even keep dog biscuits — some homemade — on hand. Most of these spots are best on a sunny day, since dogs must remain on patios (we still have much to learn from the French!), but several offer heat lamps and can be enjoyed even in the famous San Francisco summer fog.

Blue Danube Coffee House
Inner Richmond
306 Clement St. (between 4th Ave & 5th Ave)
(415) 221-9041

Blue Danube serves great sandwiches, salads, and wraps. It is one of those rare cafés where you can still feel a part of the inside vibe when you’re sitting outside, due to a built-in bench beneath a large, often open window. Pali loves sitting on the bench to receive a healthy dose of love from indoor patrons. Downside: cash only. Upside: full bar.

Tip: If you have to wait for a table, Green Apple Books, one of the best new and used bookstores in the Bay Area, is just down Clement Street, and it welcomes dogs, too.

Photo ©2008 Daneen Akers

Photo © 2008 Stephen Eyer

Park Chow, Inner Sunset
1240 9th Ave. (between
Irving St. & Lincoln Way)
(415) 665-9912

Park Chow is an excellent spot to sit and watch the world go by after a day at the De Young or just walking in Golden Gate Park. The menu features American classics plus pastas and pizzas, with just the right mixture of innovation and comfort food. Best of all, Park Chow has that far-too-rare-in-San Francisco feature, a large indoor patio. Several heat lamps will keep you and your pooch toasty and comfortable even in the fog.

Angelina’s Café, Outer Richmond
6000 California St. (between 22nd & 23rd Aves.)
(415) 221-7835

Angelina’s serves deli sandwiches and all sorts of tempting sides and salads (the orzo salad is one of my favorites). The outdoor tables offer a great spot to rest after a walk in the Presidio or Land’s End. There are dog treats behind the counter and a large water bowl out front.

Tip: If Angelina’s is full (it’s very popular on weekend mornings), try Bazaar Café just down the street, between 21st and 22nd. There is a side alleyway access to a large garden patio where dogs are very welcome.

Columbus Street in North Beach
Various venues

North Beach is our most European neighborhood, with a long stretch of outdoor dining establishments along Columbus Street. Almost all are Italian and serve delicious pasta, lasagna, and other traditional fare. Pali has enjoyed many an evening sitting at our feet, basking in the attention of passersby who stop to say hello. One good spot – where the owner is likely to talk your ear off about how much he loves his dogs – is the family-owned Franchino’s between Grant and Vallejo.

Zazie: Monday Dog Night, Cole Valley
941 Cole St. (between Carl St. & Parnassus Ave.)
(415) 564-5332

At Zazie, a French bistro, you can enjoy a more upscale dinner with your dog than the typical out door café experience. On Monday nights, this special restaurant allows dogs on its garden patio. Reservations are recommended — just mention you’re bringing your pup. Note that even though French bistros don’t always have much for vegetarians, this one offers several good choices.

Rose’s Café, Marina/Cow Hollow
2298 Union St. (between Fillmore & Steiner Sts.)
(415) 775-2200

Homemade pastas and breads make this spot very popular, especially for brunch. Dogs are welcome on the patio (which is usually packed with both canines and humans), and the chefs bake homemade dog biscuits every day to show their affection.

Greens to Go Counter, Fort Mason Bldg A
(415) 771-6222
Greens to Go offers pre-made vegetarian sandwiches, salads, curries, and soups featuring fresh, organic ingredients. I highly recommend the peanut noodle salad and the goat cheese baguette. Although dogs aren’t allowed inside, on a sunny day this is a perfect spot to pick up a picnic and walk over to the Fort Mason lawn or the Marina green. You could make your dog especially happy by heading to the West Beach at Crissy Field, where she can romp in the waves to her heart’s content.    

Palomino, SOMA/Embarcadero
345 Spear St. (between Folsom & Harrison Sts.)
(415) 512-7400

On a sunny day at the Embarcadero, Palomino’s large patio offers exceptional views for you and your dog. You will be wowed by the ambience and location, if not by the food – and the full bar is a plus.

Duboce Park Café, Castro
2 Sanchez St (at Duboce)
(415) 621-1108

Dolores Park Café, Mission
501 Dolores St (between 18th & 19th Sts.)
(415) 621-2936

Both billed as “Your Neighborhood Sidewalk Café,” these sister restaurants offer spectacular locations to sit, snack, chat, or just watch the world go by, right across the street from popular city dog parks. You can play with your canine friend at Duboce or Dolores Park before heading over to the café patio for sandwiches, salads, or the served-all-day breakfast specials. Expect to meet lots of other friendly pooches. Grab a copy of Bay Woof to read over the refreshingly tart homemade lemonade!

Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers, Noe Valley
4138 24th St. (between Castro & Diamond Sts.)
(415) 282-7770

Barney’s is a popular purveyor of gourmet hamburgers and salads – and they have more than a dozen meatless burger options! The large patio makes a great place for your dog to beg for leftovers. At spots like this, Pali is sad that her humans are vegetarian. The only downside here is the lack of heat lamps, but Noe is often sunny even when other neighborhoods are clouded over.

* Bonus Treat:
Tartine Bakery & Café, Mission
600 Guerrero St.  (between 18th & 19th Sts.)
(415) 487-2600

Just the thought of Tartine makes my mouth water. The baked goods (sweet and savory) are fantastic, but the wait for the few outdoor tables can be epic, so be prepared to get take-out treats and head elsewhere (say nearby Dolores Park).

Daneen Akers is a freelance writer and editor based in San Francisco. She loves to explore the City and beyond with her husband, Stephen, and their “first-born,” Pali, a fun-loving mutt who has traveled (and dined) far and wide in her eight years.