‘Sup, Dog?

By Brandon Hernández
Photos by Brevin Blach

Dog owners rely on their hounds to be best buds and good listeners. Repaying such loyalty by leaving their pooches chained outside while they chow down at their favorite restaurants seems kinda...ruff.

To stay ahead of the pack, several local eateries are offering the option to dine al fido, inviting customers’ four-legged friends to share tables on fur-friendly patios.

Here are nine San Dawg spots where you and your pooch can sit, stay and eat.

Café 222
222 Island Ave., Downtown, 619.236.9902, cafe222.com
This downtown diner and waffle hotspot has hosted the Food Network’s Bobby Flay, and would be just as jazzed to welcome Benji or Lassie.

“We have two areas of outdoor seating where we welcome dogs or cats-with their well-behaved owners,” says proprietor Terryl Gavre.

So, as long as you mind your manners, you can munch on a plate of peanut butter and banana-stuffed French toast (which Flay dubbed the best breakfast item he ever ate), while your dog digs the complimentary doggie biscuits.

Bread & Cie Café

350 University Ave., Hillcres t, 619.683.9322, breadandciecatering.com
Enjoy some of San Diego’s finest breads and pastries, while Rover gnaws a biscuit on the patio at this bastion of baked goods.

Hotel Indigo
509 Ninth Ave., East Village, 619.727.4000, hotelsandiegodowntown.com
Drink in a cocktail and a rooftop view of East Village from the Phi Terrace at this luxe, LEED-certified hotel where dogs can take a vacay from the everyday.

The Wine Pub
2907 Shelter Is land Dr., Point Loma, 619.758.9325, thewinepubsd.com
Dogs are always welcome on the patio of this cozy Point Loma oenophile haunt (where canine visitors can get their pics posted on the Pub’s photo board), but there’s extra incentive to swing by on Woofer Wednesdays, when 10 percent of proceeds are donated to Loving Arms Pet Adoption.

“We wanted to be dog-friendly because, when we opened, we had a 13-year-old beagle, Clarence, who loved to come to the Wine Pub,” says owner Sandy Hanshaw. “He’s passed on since and has been replaced by Frankie and Lulu, two six-month-old beagles that are the pub’s mascots.”

Currently, dogs receive water and doggy bars, but a full-on doggie menu is in the works. Nothing makes Snausages pop like a dusty Cali cabernet!

Mitch’s Seafood
1403 Scott St., Point Loma, 619.222.8787
Salty dogs enjoy complimentary water and biscuits at Hudson Bay, where their masters can get hooked on delicious fresh seafood.

La Jolla Brewhouse
7536 Fay Ave., La Jolla, 858.756.6279, lajollabrewhouse .com
Yappy hour events, special doggie treats and hand-crafted beer make this the paws-down choice for owners whose dogs play dual roles as confidants and drinking buddies.

Café Chloe
721 Ninth Ave., East Village, 619.232.3242, cafechloe.com
French restaurants can be a bit stuffy, but that’s not the case at this East Village standout, where man and beast can take life-and an outstanding bistro menu-at their own pace.

“We provide a water bowl by the door for our four-legged friends, as well as organic dog treats,” says executive chef Katie Grebow. “People bring their dogs and sit on the patio all the time, often at brunch. I’ve even seen someone feeding their dog a brie omelet, and I distinctly remember when someone ordered a medium steak for themselves and a whole medium-rare steak for their dog.”

O’Brien’s Pub

4646 Convoy St., Ke arny Mes a, 858.715.1745, obrienspub.net
You gotta love a beer bar with nationwide clout that’s still downhome enough to let Buster pull some pavement on the patio,
while the guy on the other end of the leash downs an IPA.

St. Tropez Bakery & Bistro
947 S. Coast Hwy, Encinitas, 760.633.0084, sttropezbistro.com
Don’t stuff Rex into an airplane cargo compartment-the perfect Parisian escape is up Highway 01, where dogs are as much a mainstay as baguettes and crêpes.