Dog friendly restaurants in Petaluma

If you thought Petaluma was a dog friendly dining town prior to the pandemic, all the additional outdoor dining has really helped elevate the experience for those looking to dine out with a canine companion.

There are a few dog-friendly eating establishments that come to everyone’s mind right away, including Lagunitas’ taproom and beer sanctuary, Brewsters Beer Garden, TAPS and the Block - Petaluma — places that started off with plenty of outdoor seating prior to the pandemic. However, now that so many places offer outdoor dining, there’s even more options to enjoy for the four-legged family members.

Leading off our list of additionally great dog-friendly dining options are some suggestions from avid diner Domenica Giovannini, and her dog, Noir. We received a lot of great suggestions, however Domenica’s came with a list of her favorite dishes, as well as some special mentions regarding doggy treatment.

Domenica’s favorites include east-side Mary’s Pizza Shack (“Love their great house salad and Italian dressing”), Seared (“Love the prawns and margaritas”), La Dolce Vita (“avocado toast and soups”), Brewsters (“beer and burgers”), Street Social (“prix fixe meals”) and Adobe Road’s tasting room (“a glass of sauv blanc and food from Wild Goat or Sugo”).

“McNear’s, La Dolce Vita and Adobe Road have doggie water bowls,” Domenica said. “Seared usually also always brings something out as well. Adobe Road also generally has dog treats. Everywhere mentioned comes with a lot of love from fellow diners and staff. Noir is a big people watcher like his mom, so he is a big fan of McNear’s and La Dolce Vita when downtown is hopping.”

Domenica also pointed out one of the best kept secrets just a stone’s throw from La Dolce Vita. At the crosswalk from Theatre Square across towards the fire station, you will find a doggy bag dispenser, just in case you ran out on your way downtown.

Don Lewis pointed out that TAPS has expanded their outdoor seating and now even offers a whole outdoor area for dogs, with plenty of dog bowls to go around. While on the topic of beer gardens, Brewsters even has their own “Dogs of Brewsters” Instagram page.

One of Heidi Smith’s favorites is Wild Goat Bistro where she and her pup enjoy sitting out front and ordering the Fig and Pig pizza. Co-owner Sharon McAuley spoke up to confirm, “We always have treats behind the counter (gluten free and natural, of course.) We love our pups.”

Several other restaurant owners/agents chimed in to make sure that Petaluma diners know that they welcome dogs to their outdoor patio. Amiee D'maris Drengson told us, “We love Dogs at April Panty, and lots of grassy areas around to give your pooch a little walk.”

Kim Shatnawi, co-owner of Flamez, said “Flamez loves your four-legged family members. We offer individual water bowls for each of our furry guests.”

Dino Moniodis of Dino’s Greek Food Truck mentioned that the Block Petaluma has dog treats and bowls. Julie Tenorio of the Block confirmed, “Like Dino said, we always have tons of water bowls and treats!”

Marco Palmieri confirmed that his restaurant, Risibisi is dog friendly, now that they have river-side patio dining, and bartender/manager Eva Šmidkeová commented, “We love pups on our patio at Traxx.”

Pete Schnell joked that at his Butcher Crown Roadhouse is, “super dog friendly. In fact, we might even be nicer to dogs than we are to our human guests.” BCR does have a great patio that is closed in from the road and parking lot, so safer for everyone.

Last but not least, you may not have thought of the Shuckery, but they have been offering outdoor dining in the courtyard of their landlord, Hotel Petaluma (Ascend Hotel Collection), which Shuckery owner Jazmine Lalicker reminds us is a dog-friendly hotel.

The list of Petaluma restaurants that invite dogs with diners is pretty much a list of every Petaluma restaurant with outdoor dining. However, the following were ones that garnered special mention when the question was posed to social media. Diners love Speakeasy for a lot of things, and because they have been mostly outdoor seating since they first opened, have been dog friendly for a very long time.

In and around downtown, other favorites include Quinua Cucina Peruana, Aqus Café, the The Tea Room, Ayawaska, Hank’s and one of our favorite outdoor dining spot, Pearl. Stockhome has also added quite a bit of outdoor seating and always has dogs on their patio.

Another couple of our favorites for their food, drink and outdoor patio include Charley’s Wine Country Deli and Ray’s Deli and Tavern.

“Bogey knows when I say, ‘We’re going to Ray’s,’ that he’s going to get a chicken breast and I’m going get a Fredricks Chickabacon,” says Becky Rawson.

Outdoor dining is more limited on the east-side but diners reminded us that Beyond the Glory has outdoor dining and dog-friendly and that Pub Republic has a healthy back patio with dog bowls by request. When back open, hopefully soon, Two-Niner Diner is another outdoor doggy dining option.

With their huge lawn, Lombardi’s is a natural choice for dog lovers, but keep them on a leash as there is no barrier between them and the busy traffic on the Boulevard and Skillman Lane. Across the way, Roy’s Chicago Dogs at the Yard not only has outdoor seating for you and your dog, but they serve up some pretty good hotdogs, if you are not afraid to offend your pooch.

Mentioning one of Petaluma’s newest restaurants, Diane Burg Thackery says that, “Taco Real is great, they offer water bowls at each table with a dog.”

Out in Penngrove, the Market has a favorite outdoor patio, in large part because they have great read-to-eat food, as well as a swell beer and ice cream selection. Co-owner Shaina Ita Ferraro confirms that, “Penngrove Market has a dog friendly patio with lots of shade, water for the dogs, and sometimes dog treats too. The patio will be opening back up again next month.”

Also in Penngrove, Twin Oaks has a great patio, with fresh water bowls and plenty of live music to listen to while hanging out and enjoying a drink and some great pub grub.

On the coast, Chef Jodie Rubin informed us that Ginochio’s Kitchen is super dog friendly, making it a great spot to stop for some great food (including some of the best barbecue around), on the way home from the beach, or just for a nice trip out to the coast for lunch. Another great option, with plenty of picnic space for your dog to stretch their legs is Bodega Bay Oyster Company.

Adobe Road Winery was already mentioned, but do not forget about McEvoy Ranch, which as abundant outdoor space, great wine and snacks and is welcoming for dogs.

This is by no means a complete list of dog-friendly restaurants in Petaluma so check in with your favorite and I will bet they are happy to host you and your hound.

It would be irresponsible not to cover some ground rules about taking your prized pooch along with you to dine out in a public space. Whether you are new to taking your dog with you to a restaurant, or you are a veteran at it, it is never too late to teach old dogs new tricks in order to help everyone enjoy the experience.

As natural as it may be for you to take your pooch in tow wherever you go, do be considerate that not everyone finds dogs at restaurants as charming. In fact, when we posted to social media requesting local dog dining insight, we received quite a few negative responses telling people to leave the dogs at home. Not that this should affect anyone’s dining decision, but it is a good reminder to those of us who love dogs that some do not.

For this reason, plus the fact that your Fido friend will have a more enjoyable experience if you plan ahead, here are a few “table manners” to consider prior to leashing up the mutt and heading out for a meal. First and foremost, recognize whether your dog has the temperament for social dining. Some dogs simply do not, whether that means they bark at everyone who walks by or they cannot help but try to play with every other dog they see.

We are former dog owners ourselves and loved to take our furry friend with us when we dined out. However, later in life, it became clear that she preferred to stay home and sleep, unless we were taking to her to run around at the park, so we did not force dine-out experiences on her simply because we wanted her with us.

Thankfully, many dog owners recognize the limits of their beasts. Anna Di Grande was honest when she posted, “Wish my dogs would behave so I could take them.”

Most doggy-dining advice sites recommend that your dog never sit in a lap or a chair at the table. Obviously, those with small dogs may disagree, however even when we had a lap dog ourselves, she always stayed on the ground during our meals. Finally, it’s best not to let your pet wander around. Even if you are in an extremely pet-friendly establishment, you just never know how well- or ill-behaved the other dogs are and surely would hate to be the parent of a pet that was involved in a scuffle. That is unless your dog was Eightball, the beloved black and white bulldog who used to rule the roost at Jamison’s Roaring Donkey. However, that was a special beast in a special circumstance, may he rest in peace.

There is plenty of sage advice out there on how to prepare your pet for a public dining experience. With a few easy steps, you can greatly reduce your pet’s anxieties, which will make for a better dining experience for all, especially Fido. We never really thought about these when we were carting around a pocket dog, in large part because she was easily subdue by tossing her into a pocket, but looking back, this would have been helpful to think about.

Sometimes dogs have an off day, so check with your pet, even if they normally enjoy venturing out. Just as important, feeding your dog prior to your meal will help cut down on begging. And if you can, get in at least a short walk prior to lunch or dinner as this will help calm your pup down (as well as give them a chance to relieve themselves prior to sitting down for your meal.) It also does not hurt to bring a chew toy or whatever usually keeps your dog occupied (as long as it doesn’t squeak), so you can dine in peace.

Check in prior to arrival at your restaurant of choice, just to make sure dogs are okay. Although Petaluma tends to be pet friendly, you just never know so if you have your heart set on a particular restaurant, call ahead. By doing this, you can also find out if they have enough water bowls to go around, although it never hurts to carry your own travel bowl, just in case.

Once you arrive, check in with the host/hostess, to ensure they are okay with dogs. This is especially important if their patio is only accessible through the restaurant, as they will likely want to accompany you and your pooch as you walk through to the back patio. One example is Thai River, which just reopened its secret riverside patio that is open to dogs, but only with some assistance from the hostess.

For everyone’s safety, keep your leash short so as not to cause a tripping hazard for staff.

Without a dog of our own for the past few years, we are drawn to them like moths to a flame. However, if you are like us, and are more interested in visiting with a new furry friend than the surrounding humans, make sure the owner is okay with your approach prior to pouncing on their pup. The last thing you want to do is get the dog so excited that they are no longer manageable.

Finally, along with a chew toy and travel water bowl, consider bringing a blanket for your dog to sit on if it is chilly out. With our chilly nights, it is often more comfortable for you pup if they are not directly on the cold pavement.

As the pandemic wraps up, we hope that those that added outdoor tables help keep local restaurants going. It adds a friendly aesthetic to our dining culture as well as gives more options to enjoy all the great cuisine that Petaluma has to offer, without leaving the hound at home.