Traveling with your dog can be very rewarding, but there are always a few problems to solve—such as finding restaurants where your dog can join you beside or beneath your table. No worries: DogTrekker’s got you covered! Here are some of our favorite dog-friendly places to chow down on the Mendocino Coast.
In Fort Bragg, dog-friendly table service doesn’t get better than on the heated, dog-friendly patio at Silver’s at the Wharf at Anchor Lodge in the busy Noyo Harbor Fishing Village. A fixture since the 1950s, the updated restaurant serves coastal classics like steamers, calamari, chowder, seafood salads and platters. The harbor setting means your dog gets to take in all the sights and smells of an active fishing port—don’t be surprised if a few seagulls stop by to say hello, too.
Nearby Sea Pal Cove is more casual, specializing in fish and chips. It’s the kind of place where you can grab a quick, satisfying meal and eat at an outdoor picnic table while your pup watches the boats come and go.
For upscale cuisine with ocean views, head over to Gualala, where the Seaside Bar at St. Orres, a luxury dining and lodging establishment, serves small-plate meals on its front deck.
When the coastal fog rolls in and the air turns brisk, indoor-adjacent options keep the experience cozy. Make reservations for breakfast or dinner at the Little River Inn, where a.m. options include several benedict choices and evening specialties include entrees like pine-nut-crusted salmon.
For something yummy and different, sample some of the North Coast’s best vegetarian and vegan cuisine at a lobby table at Stanford Inn by the Sea’s The Ravens restaurant. Dinner items here range from vegetarian appetizer tacos to sea palm and root vegetable strudel and Thai red curry. The Stanford Inn itself is one of the most dog-welcoming properties on the entire coast, so you’ll feel right at home with your pup by your side.
Dogs can also join you at the 5200 Lounge at Heritage House Resort in Little River (you’ll recognize it from the 1978 movie “Same Time, Next Year”). The menu here favors comfort food favorites ranging from mussels to quesadillas, burgers and catch of the day.
Tips for dining out with your dog on the Mendocino Coast: The weather can shift quickly, so bring a layer even in summer. Most coastal restaurants have water bowls on hand, but carrying a collapsible bowl is never a bad idea. If your dog tends to get antsy at the table, a good walk beforehand—along the Fort Bragg coastal trail or through the village of Mendocino—does wonders for settling them in at your feet while you enjoy the meal.
