Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co sits right in Nevada City’s downtown area, and it’s one of those rare places where you can actually hang out comfortably with your dog while eating real food and drinking something good. The outdoor seating is genuinely set up for this — your dog gets space to settle while you’re eating wood-fired pizza or working through one of their craft beers brewed on-site.

The menu here isn’t an afterthought. They do artisanal baked goods daily, so if you’re stopping by in the morning, grab a pastry with your coffee. At lunch and dinner, there’s wood-fired pizza that’s legitimately worth planning around. They also pour regional wines alongside their own brewing operation, so whether you’re a beer person or not, there’s something decent to drink. The Gold Country setting means the outdoor area actually feels pleasant most of the year — good light, decent air movement, and you’re not stuck in some cramped patio corner.

What works well here is that they’re not pretending to tolerate dogs as an afterthought. The space is designed so your dog can hang with you without being in anyone’s way or creating a chaotic scene. Other dogs show up regularly, so the atmosphere is relaxed about it. You’re not dealing with staff who look annoyed every time you need to adjust your dog’s position or grab water.

Bring a bowl if you want to be thorough, though you can ask staff about water. The outdoor area gets decent shade in summer, but afternoons can get warm, so earlier visits work better in hot months. Nevada City itself has some nice walking nearby, so you could easily make this a longer outing — grab lunch here, walk around town, pop back for an afternoon drink.