Dog Friendly Eating & Drinking in Wales

Besides enjoying the outdoors with our cocker spaniel Larkin, eating and drinking is how we spend a lot of our leisure time. Naturally, that means we’re always on the look-out for dog friendly venues. In this post I share with you my favourite dog friendly pubs, restaurants and cafes in Wales.

We’ve been holidaying in mid and north Wales for the best part of 30 years now. I love its stunning landscapes and winning combination of sea and mountains. After we got our first dog in 2014, we decided to take all our holidays in Britain and began visiting Wales, and especially Anglesey, even more often.

Wales is great for dogs, with wide open spaces and some fantastic beaches. But that also meant finding dog friendly places to eat and drink.

In this post I share with you my favourites, and I’ll update it with new ones as I discover them.

Due to the vagaries of the British weather, I’ve concentrated on venues where there’s indoor dog friendly seating. However, if the food or location is exceptionally good then I have included some places which are only suitable in good weather as the seating is outside.

LAST UPDATED: 26/07/2019

The Australia, Porthmadog Lively, friendly pub owned by the Purple Moose Brewery which is based in the town. Dogs allowed everywhere inside. A short but good menu of pub grub with many dishes incorporating their beers: homemade steak and ale pie, sausage and mash with the sausages made exclusively for them by the local butcher, ribs marinated in sauce with beer and excellent burgers like Smoky Beef marinated in Dark Side of the Moose ale. Food goes great with Purple Moose beers – try the Chocolate Moose with a burger.

The Black Seal, Trearddur Bay, Anglesey  Dogs are only allowed on the spacious terrace, but you get a fantastic view overlooking beautiful Trearddur Bay. A wide ranging menu with hearty dishes including lots of seafood plus great looking pizzas. Try a selection of small plates for a tapas style meal.

The Boat House, Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey  Dog friendly seating is outside, but most of it is covered. Great range of food including lots of seafood, local mussels, lobster etc. I loved their chowder: creamy, thick and packed with smoked haddock, king prawns, mussels and spicy chorizo.

Catch 22, Valley, Anglesey  Although you’ll have to sit outside with your dog at one of the two picnic tables, I’ve included Catch 22 brasserie as their food is exceptionally good. Family run, with everything is made from scratch using lots of local and seasonal ingredients. Open every day from 10.30, for breakfasts, sandwiches, nibbles plus lots of imaginative dishes like salt hake croquettes, octopus with chorizo, or pulled lamb tostada.

The Crown, Aberffraw, Anglesey Very popular with people walking their dogs along the stunning estuary at Aberffraw which takes you to a lovely beach with views of the mountains on the mainland. Friendly service and reliably good pub grub like steak and ale pie, fish pie, gammon and chips, in generous portions. Usually good stuff on the specials board too. Dogs allowed in the two bars, not in the carpeted dining room.

Cwellyn Arms, Rhyd Ddu nr Snowdon There’s very impressive food to be had at this friendly pub which also has self catering accommodation, a bunkhouse and a campsite. Set in a stunning location near the foot of Mount Snowdon, 4 miles from the beautiful village of Beddgelert (also the resting place of legendary dog, Gelert). Designated dog friendly areas inside. Everything on the menu is homemade and they even have their own smoker for dishes like home-smoked local trout. I had one of the best fish pies I’ve ever eaten here and there’s lots of local produce like Welsh beef and lamb on the menu too.

Dylan’s Restaurant, Menai Bridge, Anglesey  With branches also in Criccieth and Llandudno, Dylan’s state their goal as celebrating ‘the local produce, character and natural beauty of North Wales’. So far I’ve only visited the Menai Bridge restaurant which is dog friendly in the bar plus outside seating. Very good cooking with lots of seafood choices.

The Lobster Pot, Barmouth Great little place, right on the harbour. Tanks with live local lobster in season. Dogs allowed inside, but if the weather’s good then enjoy the incredible sea and mountain views from the outside tables. Try the Seafood Chowder or a crayfish and local crab sandwich. Tubs of traditional shrimps, whelks, cockles etc. plus dressed local crab to take away. Licensed.

Last Inn, Barmouth Good pub food in quirky surroundings – there’s even a natural spring waterfall inside the pub. Dog friendly everywhere. Pub favourites like fish and chips, lasagne, steak, lamb shank, chilli and a range of burgers (including the delightfully named Smelly Pig: a beef burger topped with Stilton and smoked bacon). Check out the fish specials board too, all locally sourced from around Cardigan Bay.

Lobster Pot, Church Bay, Anglesey  You’ll have to sit outside with your dog, but that’s no hardship when the weather’s good as it’s a lovely garden with splendid views. Wonderful range of fresh seafood: lobster, oysters, mussels. Fantastic chips too!

Marram Grass, Newborough, Anglesey What started out as a simple cafe on a caravan site is now a hotspot for top-notch food, appearing on TV in programmes such as Great British Menu and Hidden Restaurants. But it’s still a friendly, casual place. The dog friendly seating area is outside so only suitable in good weather – on our visit the hanging grape vines shaded us from the heatwave. Excellent cooking, but make sure you book ahead.

Mojo’s Creperie, Rhosneigr, Anglesey Lovely little licensed cafe, sometimes open in the evenings by arrangement. Specializes in crepes and galettes. The tartiflette and the smoked salmon galettes are incredible. Dog friendly seating outside and they may let smaller dogs inside if there’s space.

Oyster Catcher, Rhosneigr, Anglesey Dogs not allowed in the main restaurant, only in the bar and outside but… what an outside! From the raised terrace there’s fabulous views of the surrounding dunes and over to the mountains of the mainland. If it’s a little cool or you want to get out of the sun, there are cute, painted beach huts to sit in. Good quality food with ingredients sourced from local suppliers and plenty of local produce on the menu including Welsh beef, lamb and seafood.

Royal Sportsman’s Hotel, Porthmadog Gelert’s Bar is the dog friendly place to eat at the Sportsman’s and there’s dog friendly accommodation too. Excellent quality food. Welsh lamb dishes are particularly good and we’ve had some great tapas including pickled cockles with laverbread and Carmarthen ham. Good range of beers, including from the Purple Moose Brewery, based just round the corner.

Sandy Mount House, Rhosneigr, Anglesey  The old Sandymount pub has recently been transformed into Sandy Mount House: a ‘contemporary beach house restaurant and bar’. It’s also now dog friendly not just on the terrace but also in the very nice bar. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners featuring contemporary British food. Not the cheapest option, but offers something a little different.

Scarlett’s Fish & Chips, Rhosneigr, Anglesey We’ll always have fish and chips from here when we’re staying in Rhosneigr as they’re top quality. There’s a small amount of inside seating and it’s all dog friendly or buy to take away.

Surf Cafe, Rhosneigr, Anglesey Dogs allowed inside plus outside seating at this popular cafe next door to the surfers’ shop. Great breakfasts.

White Eagle, Rhoscolyn, Anglesey Fabulous food and good choice of beer. Dog friendly in one of the bars, but if the weather’s good the views from the raised terrace are spectacular. Very popular so get there early. Lovely little beach and coastal walks nearby.

see my pick of dog-friendly eating & drinking in Staffordshire here