The man and I have a dog of our own (see above) and with this beautiful town, hate having to leave him at home while we’re out and about in the sunshine, especially in the Summer. Hopefully, this post is as useful to you, as it is to me.
I’m excited to be collaborating with my friend Eli with Downtown Boulder (http://boulderdowntown.com/) who helped with a large portion of the research on this post. You can find a full, complete list of dog friendly patios in downtown Boulder here (map included – great resource). I picked my favorite ten in downtown Boulder. The criteria/my opinion: delicious food and enough patio space.
Please note: Having a dog on the Pearl Street walking mall is not allowed. These locations are downtown off the walking mall.
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Arabesque | 1634 Walnut Street
Arabesque’s outside red-brick patio sits under shady trees, covered with umbrellas. The authentic, made-with-love food from Manal Jarrar is Middle Eastern and honestly, one of my favorite spots for lunch. It sits on the corner of Walnut and 17th. Order the chicken shawarma plate with fresh greens and homemade hummus and order a side of Tabbouleh out on their sunny patio.
Boulder Creek Market | 1801 13th Street
Boulder Creek Market has gourmet sandwiches boasting ostrich, buffalo and even many vegetarian varieties including the veggie: avocado, cucumber, sprouts, provolone and roasted red pepper cream cheese. You can order a half or whole sandwich. Sitting in a courtyard next to a small bar and spa, there is plenty of space for your pup to lounge in the sun on the warm bricks.
The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse | 1770 13th Street
I recently wrote about Dushanbe and their annual tea festival they hold every year in July. Rooted in deep history and cultural significance, it sits along the Boulder Creek (and path) also along the Boulder Farmers Market (every Wednesday and Saturday ). There are two side patios, covered with hanging vines and the sound of the bubbling creek. Their food is International. Try one of their hundreds of loose-leaf teas (hand-picked) and try the Indian Masala Dosa: cumin, fennel crepe with curried potatoes, cauliflower, onions, tomatoes, peas and dahl with raisin chutney, cucumber yogurt and an onion fritter.
Brasserie TenTen | 1011 Walnut Street
Brasserie has one of the best happy hours in Boulder. Small plates from $2-5 with the likes of olive tapenade, salman tartare with minced peppers, sesame oil, kennebec chips and truffle citrus tossed arugula and frites with truffle aioli. You can sample wines and beers for under $4 from 3-6:30 PM everyday. Their side patio is small (about 5 tables) but if you snag a spot for brunch, happy hour, lunch or dinner your dog is welcome. Also, great spot for people watching.
Foolish Craig’s | 1611 Pearl Street
Featured on Diner, Drive-ins and Dives, Foolish Craig’s is one of those places that has something for everyone. It’s unpretentious and lining outside the restaurant, is a similarly long patio to Brasserie TenTen’s with 5 or so tables that welcome dogs. I personally love Foolish Craig’s lengthy breakfast menu peppered with crepes and diesel omelettes. Try the Boulder omelette with broccoli, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheddar and your choice of pesto or salsa. A killer crepe is their Fahgeddaboudit (Think Brooklyn) with breaded eggplant, spinach, mushrooms, onions, mozzarella and crushed walnuts topped with marinara and parmesan.
The Kitchen / The Kitchen [NEXT DOOR] | 1039 Pearl Street
I included these two together, as two separate restaurants (same ownership) they’re right next to each other and each offer a small patio for dogs. The Kitchen (fine dining) has two spots out front where dogs can comfortably hang and people watch on the Western end of Pearl Street. The Kitchen [NEXT DOOR] has a larger patio with about 3-5 tables for dogs. Their food is farm fresh, organic and a top five place to eat (period) for me in Boulder. At The Kitchen [NEXT DOOR], try their garlic smashers (roasted potatoes) and beet burger. I covered them here when they recently opened in June 2011.
Walnut Brewery |1123 Walnut Street
Just South of the Pearl Street walking mall, The Walnut Brewery sits between Broadway and 11th Street. For pub food and beers brewed in house, it’s a casual establishment with an outside patio where I always see dogs. They have pizza, nachos, steaks, tacos and spaghetti. Try their handcrafted beer as you sit in the sun. The St. James Irish Red Ale was a 2006 Bronze Medal and 2003 Silver Medal Winner at Great American Beer Festival.
Saxy’s Cafe | 2018 10th Street
Saxy’s is a coffee shop, that has delicious, robust salads. On any given day, you will find entrepreneurs or students gathered around their computers or studying. Their patio outside offers a handful of tables for your dog to relax, while you sample their fare. It’s a great spot to get some work done, relax and read or have a meeting. My favorite salad is their Insalata di Spinaci with turkey, fresh spinach, gorgonzola cheese, sun-dried cranberries, pine nuts and maple balsamic vinaigrette.
The West End Tavern | 926 Pearl Street
The patio is small (2-3 tables) but those tables often have dogs lounging. I love their West End Coin Margarita with a splash of cranberry – if you order at happy hour (3-6 PM Mon-Fri) it’s $5. Try their housemade yam chips with fresh guacamole and buffalo wings. It’s a hopping place, where anyone can find something to enjoy.
VG Burgers |1650 Broadway
I include this on my list because whenever we bring our dog there, they ensure there’s fresh water in the dog bowl out front and give Cerna (the pup) a big pet and hug. Their patio isn’t much to call home about, it’s on the side of their restaurant but there are 5 patio tables that are comfortable to sit on while you enjoy their entirely vegetarian/vegan menu. The Man, a seriously meat-loving kind of guy, loves their ‘Bacon Cheeseburger’ (remember, all faux meat) and craves it. Also order their tempeh ‘hot wings’. You need not be a vegetarian, I see all kinds of people in there who often muse how they love meat and VG Burger. Try it. Seriously.
Honorable noteworthy mentions: Boulder Farmer’s Market, Farfel’s Farm a pet store on Pearl Street that always leaves a bowl of water out front and has dogs milling around inside and Alfalfa’s Market, a natural grocery store (blocks from my house) that has ‘dog parking’ out front where you can tie up your dog with fresh water bowls.
Please check out Downtown Boulder’s complete dog-friendly list (all spots have been confirmed to be dog-friendly) and has 27 spots! There are many spots that are great whether it’s a coffee shop, restaurant, bar or shop.
These were my picks, what would yours be?
