If there’s a better way to explore Wales’ capital than with your dog by your side we’re still hunting for it! The city hosts an amazing variety of dog-friendly walks, whether you’re venturing into The Vale, cantering around Barry Island or stepping back in time at Cardiff Castle. But once you’ve finished, where can you refuel? Never fear–we’ve found the cream of the crop of dog-friendly pubs and bars in Cardiff. Whether you’re a local or popping into the capital with your dog for a holiday, here are the best boozers to head to.
1. The Lansdowne
Address: 71 Beda Road, CF5 1LX
Telephone: 0292 022 1312
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: Chicken katsu curry, half chips, half sushi rice and kimchi
Cardiff’s most dog-friendly local, The Lansdowne thrives on real ale, top pub grub, and a canine-welcoming ethos. The atmosphere is very relaxed for families and furry best friends with water bowls and treats behind the bar for very good dogs. Staff spoil four-legged customers with lots of attention and humans get personalised recommendations for the perfect gin or craft beer.
It’s best to hole up inside with your dog as the outside area is a tight squeeze. Keep them on the lead to keep your fellow pub goers happy and your dog will be rewarded with lots of fuss from fellow patrons. There’s a varied menu, as well as ‘build your own burger’ and pizza nights, and the food is often soundtracked by open mic events, should your dog be a fan of live music.
2. Horse and Jockey
Address: Chapel Terrace, Twyn-yr-odyn, CF5 6BJ
Telephone: 0292 067 0410
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: Hunter’s chicken
The Horse and Jockey is within sniffing distance of some of west Cardiff’s best dog walks. Stop by after wearing your dog out with a game of fetch in the field opposite or a relaxing wander through the nearby woods, across the heath or past ancient burial chambers. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the bar or outside where they’ll find water bowls, umbrellas, and plenty of shade.
Dogs can enjoy a biscuit while owners tuck into traditional pub grub washed down with a selection of real ales. Despite the pub’s spotless interior, muddy paws are never a problem, which makes this a top doggy destination no matter the weather.
3. Brewdog
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Address: 31 Westgate St, Cardiff CF10 1EH
Telephone: 0292 023 1684
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: Cluck Norris
As its name suggests, BrewDog is one of Cardiff’s most dog-friendly pubs. Canine guests can even celebrate their birthdays with party hats and doggy ice cream sundaes for £6 a tail, while their human friends have a choice of no less than 25 craft beers on tap and plentiful pub grub to suit both carnivores and vegans. Tails are guaranteed to wag at this watering hole, located opposite the national stadium.
4. Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn
Address: Main Road, Gwaelod-y-Garth, CF15 9HH
Telephone: 0292 081 0408
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: Roasted hake with capers and beurre noisette
The Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn, meaning ‘foot of the mountain,’ has some of the best views in the whole of Cardiff. Grab a small nook by a window in the bar downstairs with your dog to enjoy a tasty meal (the upstairs restaurant is a pooch-free zone). As for the menu, there are classics like fish and chips as well as full-to-the-brim steak and kidney pie. Wash it down with a real ale or something from the pub’s onsite brewery. On sunny days there are outdoor tables where you can rest with your pet after a long walk in the Garth. Fresh water is served on draught for thirsty hounds, and treats abound from the dog-loving bar staff.
5. Lo Lounge
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Address: Heol Porth Teigr, Cardiff, CF10 4GA
Telephone: 0292 009 0060
Reservations: Optional
Price range: £
Recommended dish: Fish and chips
Soak up stunning views of Cardiff Bay with your dog by your side at Lo Lounge, a bustling waterfront bar with plenty of outdoor seating and a jam-packed party schedule. You couldn’t get a more perfect spot in the city to watch the sunset while enjoying a cocktail or two. There’s also a food menu comprising light bites as well as a small selection of mains, and the bar regularly has street food pop-ups. Dogs are welcomed with water bowls, free treats and even ‘poochie-cinos’.
6. The Pen & Wig
Address: 1 Park Grove, CF10 3BJ
Telephone: 0292 037 1217
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: Chicken schnitzel
Dogs are made just as welcome as people at The Pen & Wig. The staff here take pride in showing love to all furry friends and their owners. Despite its city centre location, this dog-friendly boozer boasts a fantastic beer garden that’s open all year round. A top spot providing flower beds to sniff and shaded areas to curl up in. It can get busy at peak times so if you fancy a quieter spot, head inside where your dog is allowed to stay by your side. Settle them down with a free dog treat and water bowl while you enjoy a generous Sunday lunch or fisherman’s pie.
7. The Corner House
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Address: The Corner House, 25 Caroline Street, Cardiff, CF10 1FF
Telephone: 0292 022 8628
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: King prawn and chorizo linguine
Located right in the heart of Cardiff, this cosy dog-friendly pub is the perfect pitstop during city adventures with your best pal. Dogs are allowed inside and on the large street-fronted terrace, as well as being treated to snacks and water by the welcoming pub team. For hungry humans, there’s an extensive food menu featuring small plates and bigger meals including burgers and pizzas. Seasonal cocktails complete the drinks lineup at this cosmopolitan canine hang-out.
8. St. Canna’s Alehouse
Address: 42 Llandaff Rd, CF11 9NJ
Telephone: 0789 010 6449
Reservations: Not needed
Price range: £
Recommended dish: Scotch eggs
Plenty of four-legged patrons frequent the wonderfully-traditional St Canna’s Alehouse, which welcomes dogs inside and out. Canine customers are treated to water and treats, while their owners can choose from an extensive list of beers and ales from local breweries. Feeling peckish? Bar snacks like scotch eggs or a pizza should tide you over. Due to the absence of music or a TV, it’s a great place to relax with a book or board game while your pet takes a well-earned nap. They’ll certainly need it—a wide range of green areas such as Bute Park and Pontcanna Fields are but a tennis ball’s throw away.
9. Tiny Rebel
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Address: 25 Westgate St, Cardiff CF10 1DD
Telephone: 0737 741 4204
Reservations: Recommended
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: The fire bird
Tiny Rebel doesn’t just welcome dogs, they actively encourage canine guests and lavish them with treats and water as soon as paws step through the door. With a vast variety of beer hailing from Tiny Rebel’s very own award-winning brewery down the road in Newport, which has rapidly expanded since its humble beginnings in a garage, there’s plenty to keep humans happy, too. There’s also a fully-loaded menu with anything from dirty fries and burgers to burritos and chicken wings.
10. Head of Steam
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Address: 18-19 Church St, Cardiff, CF10 1BG
Telephone: 0292 037 2582
Reservations: Optional
Price range: ££
Recommended dish: Buttermilk tandoori gyro
Snacks await dogs stopping by at this fine establishment, which boasts a celebrated selection of local and international craft beer for their owners as well as a long list of cocktails, spirits and wines. With a menu that’s 50% plant-based, it’s a perfect spot for vegans to enjoy a scrumptious meal alongside their best four-legged friend. Swing by on Taco Tuesday and you can snap up two tacos and a pair of margaritas for £20. There’s also a pool table (just keep the balls away from Fido) and the pub regularly hosts live music as well as quizzes.
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Cardiff may have seen lots of changes over the past decade but we’re pleased to see that its dog-friendly values have stood the test of time. All the more reason to explore the city and take plenty of pub pitstops for you and your wee mate. And if your dog isn’t a fan of bars, it’s no big deal. It couldn’t be easier to find someone to look after your furry little buddy when you go to the pub—you’ll be able to find plenty of local sitters who offer dog boarding in Cardiff on Rover.com.
