Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Coral Gables

Coral Gables has always been a very walkable city and with so many residents and visitors out with their dogs in tow, many businesses have embraced the idea that dogs are welcome to their establishments. There are several area restaurants that are very open to their patrons bringing their furry babies with them.  Here are our favorite dog friendly restaurants in Coral Gables:

Lokal Burgers and Beer, 3190 Commodore Plaza, Coconut Grove.  Located in Coconut Grove, Lokal is such a dog-friendly restaurant it has a dog menu with items like “Marmaduke’s Meatloaf.”  Open every day for lunch and dinner, dogs are allowed on the patio which is logical.  Lokal Burgers has received lots of accolades which is no surprise once you eat here.  Miami New Times voted Lokal as one of the “Top 10 Best Chicken and Waffles in Miami” as well as having one of the “Top Five Veggie Burgers in Miami” not to mention “Top 10 Dog Friendly Restaurants in Miami.”  It is well worth it venturing over there to enjoy one of the best burgers you will ever eat and the coldest beer you will ever drink.  The Frita burger is absolutely awesome with the guava jelly and gruyere cheese.  Another favorite is the Lokal burger with its local twist of Florida grass-fed burger topped with homemade honey mustard using local honey, melted jack cheese, Florida tomatoes, sliced red onions, arugula, and Homestead avocados. It literally does not get much better than that.  This is the perfect place to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon with Fido. 

Shake Shack, 1450 South Dixie Highway (US1), Coral Gables.  Another dog-friendly favorite is the Shake Shack.  And, yes, again, this fairly new hot spot is so dog friendly it offers a few items for the pooch.  The stand out attribute about the newest Shake Shack is that it was built with sustainable and recycled materials.  For instance, the tables were sourced from reclaimed bowling alley lanes handcrafted in Brooklyn, NY, and window seating was made with wooden counters made from river-recovered cypress.  It is just a hop, skip and a jump from University of Miami and has good burgers, fries, shakes, custards and more. They even have wine and beer if you want it.  The shakes and cones are made with frozen custard made from real sugar and milk that contains no hormones or antibiotics right at the restaurant.  If you are calorie conscious, feel good knowing that the Shake Shack features calorie counts for each item on the menu.  As for out furry children, there are a handful of items on the menu for the dogs as well as their own bowls of water. 

Ortanique on the Mile, 287 Miracle Mile.  An all-time favorite restaurant on the Miracle Mile is also a very pet friendly restaurant in the Gables.  And it is a good thing since the Mile is one of the most highly traversed roads by foot in all of Miami-Dade County. After all, the Miracle Mile is so close to Coral Gables condominiums.  So you can just imagine the number of dogs that walk on the Mile!  As for the restaurant, it is unique, Caribbean themed restaurant that is very similar to its sister restaurant in Grand Cayman.  There are so many favorites on the menu from ceviche to fresh salads and seafood that patrons have a hard time choosing something so they come back.  As for pets, it is very common to see people having lunch and dinner outside on the patio with their beloved furry family members sitting beside them.   Everyone loves Ortanique on the Mile and goes there over and over again.  It is one of those spots where you enjoy sitting outside with friends and family while enjoying tropical drinks and dining on delicious specialties. 

Pete’s Authentic Cooking, 153 Giralda Avenue.  Everyone loves Pete’s Authentic Cooking – we know that!  But to add its dog-friendly nature to its status takes it even further up the food chain.  It offers some of the best sandwiches, salads and more in addition to breakfast and brunch items that leave you wanting more.  Open only on weekdays between 8am and 4pm, Pete’s is very popular spot in Downtown Coral Gables which is why it is so crowded.  And for those who love taking their dogs with them everywhere they go, Pete’s is very dog friendly.  For those who watch what they eat or who avoid certain foods, Pete’s has vegan and gluten-free items to appeal to everybody.  Just check out the blackboard for specials and the extensive menu if you still need ideas.  When coming with the dog, be sure to sit outside.  While they love dogs, they know that not all of their customers do, so they prefer to keep them outdoors.  But, hey!  This is South Florida – it is much nicer to sit outside!

Spizzigo, 127 Giralda Avenue.  Of course, we have to include an Italian restaurant in our dog friendly picks.  And one of favorites is Spizzigo just off the Miracle Mile.  Open for lunch and dinner, Spizzigo features fresh homemade pastas as well as unbelievably good pizza and the best wines and drinks for everyone who has a craving for Italian.  And being so close to the Mile, it is also a restaurant within walking distance to many Coral Gables condominiums and neighborhoods.  When the outdoor dining is set up, dogs are very welcome to hang with their parents.  Everyone wolfs down the pizza bread they bring when seated as well as most everything on the menu.  Its classic Italian fares are the best around and the prices are not outlandish which makes it easy to eat here a couple of days (or nights) a week.  Top your meal off with their gelato and you will think you are in paradise.  And, if you bring the dog, you can walk off dinner! 

A Dog-Friendly City

Not only is Coral Gables called the City Beautiful, it is a very dog friendly city as well.  Whether you live in a centrally located Coral Gables neighborhood or away from the downtown business area, there are lots of businesses that invite dogs just as often as they invite their owners.