These are my favorite Kansas City spots to eat and drink with my dog. What are yours?
If you’re a pet owner, you probably know that guilty feeling of wanting to go out somewhere, but also wanting to hang out with your pet.
It’s a frequent feeling for me as the owner of a dog who has separation anxiety. So some of my favorite places to frequent around Kansas City are spots where my dog Dexter can come along.
And we’ve found it’s not just patios for a limited range of restaurants where dogs are welcome. They can come along for coffee, beer, barbecue, pizza and lots more.
My go-to dog-friendly hangs are mostly in Kansas City, and we’ve previously highlighted some good spots for pets in Johnson County. But we definitely haven’t hit them all, so let us know in the comments at the bottom of the article where you like to take your furry friend in the KC area.
Cafe Cà Phê
Good Wi-Fi for remote work, unique drinks, welcoming atmosphere
This Columbus Park cafe specializing in Vietnamese coffee is awesome, especially for remote work. There’s almost always space to set up shop with a laptop or a book, whether it’s just you and your puppy or you’re meeting friends.
The staff and the other customers are really welcoming for the pups, offering water bowls and all the pets. Even if we come alone, Dexter usually makes some new friends.
You don’t find drinks like the ones at Cafe Cà Phê, anywhere else in KC, and it’s easy to try something new pretty much every time you come in. But the drink I’ll never get over is the latte served to me one winter with milk foam in the shape of a dog.
Thou Mayest, River Quay
Comfortable seating, quality coffee beans, great for hangouts
Head to the River Market over for another coffee shop with longer hours and cocktails available at night.
Dog-friendly coffee shop and roaster Thou Mayest has a sizable space that’s usually fairly crowded, but you should usually be able to find a comfy chair for you and a furry friend.
Thou Mayest’s coffee is good, and I love to take home a bag of beans to make more at home (plus, each bean purchase comes with a token for a free drink). And someone usually has a biscuit handy for a visiting pup.
The Wi-Fi usually holds up to remote work, but I think I prefer Thou Mayest for a chill hangout, because it is so cozy.
International Tap House
Tons of beer options, fun trivia night, lots of space for dogs
One thing I never thought I’d be able to take my dog along to is an after-work trivia night, but ITAP has proven me wrong.
The Crossroad taproom welcomes dogs inside, including for its trivia nights every Wednesday. There’s also patio seating if that works better for your dog. ITAP serves beer, cider and cocktails, and you can grab food from Mission Taco next door if you can find a friend to watch your dog.
Between the trivia, the dogs, the drinks and the tacos, it’s one of my favorite after-work outings.
Char Bar
Large patio, tasty barbecue, welcoming for dogs
The easiest way to bring your dog along to a night out is to head to a restaurant with a patio. There are tons of places with dog-friendly outdoor dining options around KC, but Char Bar is a personal favorite for me.
The Westport patio is big, very social and varied in the kinds of seating that are offered (picnic table or chairs, sunny or shady, cool or warm). The food is super tasty, and the drinks are good, too.
Other patios I’ve enjoyed include Grinders and Brewery Emperial in the Crossroads.
More dog-friendly places?
Of course, these are just a few of the great places in Kansas City where you can bring your pup along.
We want to hear about even more, perhaps other types of businesses or spots that serve other parts of the metro. Tell us in the comments below where you like to go!
This story was originally published June 8, 2024 at 6:00 AM.