Dog Friendly Places in North West London

We wanted the lowdown on some of the best dog friendly places in NW London so we asked 'dogsofnw' that promotes all things dogs in NW London for their thoughts. You can follow them on the account @dogsofnw on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Seven weeks ago, I began a campaign #dogsofnw to find out which are the dog friendly places are North West London. Here is a little summary of these places based on my own experiences and on other dog owners’ who entered some of the competitions I ran during the campaign. The focus is on cafés, restaurants and pubs which allow dogs be indoors in NW3 and NW1.

Hampstead Village or close to Hampstead Heath

Gastro Pubs

The Hampstead pubs which are letting our furry friends are in fact quite numerous. The Wells Tavern has jars full of treats and always remembers to have a water bowl available.

The Horseshoe is a nice place for socialising with dogs and people alike, as is the iconic The Holly Bush. The Flask pub and The Freemasons Arms also allow you to take dogs in, but they are only allowed in certain areas. The main dining areas are dog free zones.

If you wish to try a gastro pub, slightly outside the village and very close to Kenwood House, the historic and Hampstonian gastro pub Spaniard’s inn is the place to be with your dog.

If you are on a dog walk on the other side of Hampstead Heath and the hunger strikes before you can get back to Hampstead Village try The Bull and Last close to Parliament Hill. Your dog will be so happy to tuck into some pig ears!

Cafés and restaurants

Until recently I thought no café in Hampstead allowed dogs indoors in Hampstead, but now we have Boulangerie Bon Matin and Café Hampstead (also a restaurant). They are both newcomers and happy to receive both dogs and people as their customers. Gone were the days my short haired vizsla had to shiver if I simply wanted a cup of coffee after a cold dog walk!

A very welcome and well-placed newcomer in the Hampstead restaurant ‘scene’ is 28 Church Row. They are very happy to invite your dog along for an evening with drinks, wine and tapas.

Every first Sunday of the month your dog can be pampered at the doggy lunch at Gaucho Grill. A red carpet is rolled out for them, and the chef offers the dogs home made empanadas specially made for dogs! They are also given goody bags with toys and treats, and they can freely socialise in the restaurant while their ‘parents’ are enjoying their lunches and admiring their own and others’ dogs.

Englands Lane in Belsize Park

Dog owners in Belsize Park never have to worry about sipping their coffee in the cold weather after their walk in Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park. On the way home, they can make an easy pit stop on England’s Lane and simply choose between at least four cafés to my knowledge which allow dogs inside. Having said that the owners of large dogs might still need to use their charm to get in to some of these places.

The owners/managers of Bonjour Brioche Café and Chamomile cafe love dogs and are super welcoming.

36 Café welcomes the whole family. Prams can be parked indoors, the kids have a separate play area and the dogs can be indoors too. Black Truffle Deli across the road was equally happy to let me in with my dog.

Primrose Hill

It is almost impossible to talk about dogs and Primrose Hill without hearing about the dog friendly and buzzy restaurant/café, Greenberry Café. Whether it is for a morning coffee, brunch, lunch or dinner the dogs are always welcome and, I would say, contribute to the great relaxed and organic atmosphere of the place.

The Engineer gastro pub has shown their love for dogs not only by welcoming the dogs indoors, but also by letting Doga Mahny to have doga sessions, yoga with dogs, in their private room upstairs!

If you crave something sweet after the pub lunch or doga, head towards the main shopping street in Primrose Hill and stop at the Primrose Bakery – famous for its delicious cupcakes. They let your dog to join you.