Pet-Friendly Restaurants in the Greater Vancouver Area
When it comes to pet-friendly cities, Vancouver often makes the top of the list. What many people don’t seem to realize is that the city and surrounding areas only really offer an abundance of pet-friendly options when you’re outdoors. If you try to bring a pet into a restaurant or to the mall, you’ll quickly be told “sorry, we don’t allow pets” and then ushered towards the nearest exit. Typically this is due to the provincial health regulations, and so establishments can’t do too much to break the rules unless you have a certified service animal.
Many establishments are truly apologetic about the lack of pet-friendly policies, but there are a few places that will take advantage of their outdoor spaces and allow pets to accompany their owners during a meal. Below are some of our favourite pet-friendly dining options in the Vancouver area.
My hope is to continue adding to this list, so if you know of any pet-friendly dining options, feel free to shoot me an email! You can also rest assured that I always visit places myself before adding them to the list and none of these are sponsored promotions; I’d just like to help other pet owners find places to grab a bite to eat when they’ve got their furry friend with them :)
The Coffee Bun (Coquitlam)
The Coffee Bun is a spot that I love dearly as it’s where I used to go to study with friends during high school. Thankfully, it’s remained open after over a decade and now I’m pleased to share that it is also fairly pet-friendly. While there is no official policy allowing pets, the staff are always happy to let me bring the cats in when the weather is hot outside. I will always vouch for the cream cheese bun with a blue lemonade or chai latte, and it’s truly an extra treat being able to enjoy your food while your cat lounges beside you.
2. Maxine’s Cafe & Bar (Vancouver)
If you’re in downtown Vancouver, Maxine’s Cafe & Bar offers up the perfect spot for a brunch date, and the best part is well-behaved pets can also tag along on their patio! The staff here are all lovely and there are a variety of options for the brunch menu. If you’ve never tried one before, this is a great spot to order a savoury Dutch Baby
3. Hard Bean Brunch Co. (Port Moody)
Located in the lovely city of Port Moody, the Hard Bean Brunch Co. is another pet-friendly brunch option that just recently opened in 2021. They offer comfortable outdoor dining options for you and your pet, and you can always reserve ahead to secure a seat. We like that they offer a good mix of sweet and savoury brunch options.
4. Hiel Cafe (New Westminster)
Hiel Cafe is a great spot to meet up with some friends over a plate of fluffy pancakes or a well-made panini. I also really like their fruit sodas and find them to be quite refreshing. There is plenty of seating inside the cafe, but you can also opt to sit outside if you are fine listening to the traffic from the nearby busy street. If you’d prefer to avoid being beside the road, you’ll be happy to note that pets are allowed to be inside the establishment as long as they stay within their carrier.
5. MeeT on Main (Vancouver)
Even if you’re not vegan, I highly recommend you try MeeT on Main (or go to any of their other locations) which serves a variety of vegan dishes. As someone who constantly craves regular mac n’ cheese, I can honestly say I love the vegan version served at MeeT and it’s worth splurging to try their Italian “sausage”. The MeeT on Main location is also very open to seating guests with pets on their outdoor patio. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I somehow forgot to take photos while we were here… I guess that’s just a good excuse to visit again once patio season is back in business!
