Dog Friendly Places to Eat Cheltenham

We get a lot of questions from readers about the best dog friendly places to eat in Cheltenham. It seems you all love to take your loyal pooches with you wherever you go, and who can blame you!  We've followed Poppy, (aka Always Take The Dogs on Instagram) for a long time and have always been impressed with her impeccable taste.  We felt she was the ideal dog to take on our important challenge of seeking out the best dog friendly cafes, pubs and restaurants in Cheltenham. 

We are very lucky in Cheltenham, many venues welcome dogs with open arms. Poppy (along with a little help from her owners, Cara and Andy, of course!) have recommmened their favourite independent eateries below, keep scrolling for a comprehensive list of dog friendly places to eat in Cheltenham.

---

Dog friendly cafes Cheltenham (as recommended by Poppy the Cockapoo!)

No.85 Coffee & Kitchen

Address: 85 Hewlett Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 6AJ

We’re lucky enough to live round the corner from this hidden gem. It’s a great spot for brunch and lunch with great big portions and a regularly changing menu. We love their beef brisket sandwich and avocado toast but they also offer a big (and very tempting) range of cakes and cookies! The owner Steph also makes AMAZING cocktails that are definitely worth a try. 

Coffee Dispensary

Address: 18 Regent Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1HN

Hands down the best coffee in Cheltenham and we’ve been bringing Poppy here since she was 10 weeks old! They have an incredible selection of cakes, brownies and blondies too. If you’re not a coffee drinker, it’s worth a visit for their hot chocolates too with at least 5 varieties on the menu!

Boston Tea Party 

Address: 45-49 Clarence Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3JS

A great dog friendly place to visit with plenty of seating and a very popular breakfast spot! Expect your dog to get plenty of fuss from the lovely staff while you agonise choosing from the largest cake selection we’ve seen - which is definitely a good thing in our eyes. The blueberry and ginger smoothie is a particular favourite and we have been known to detour out of our way just to go past in the morning and grab one.

WoodKraft 

Address: 13 Regent Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1HE

Poppy is a much loved regular at Woodkraft and always gets such a lovely welcome, water bowl and a treat or two. The food is consistently excellent and we rarely go a couple of weeks without popping in for brunch and a dog themed latte. Our favourites include eggs benedict and strawberry cheesecake pancakes. Whatever you order, make sure you get a side of hash browns - they are AMAZING!

Botanica Coffee Kitchen and Botanica Bar

Address: Alstone Lane, The Bramery Business Park, Cheltenham GL51 8HE 

Probably Cheltenham’s most instagrammable cafe, Botanica Coffee Kitchen and Botanica Bar, which is equally as beautiful, with house plants adorning every wall and shelf in sight. Everything we’ve tried from their regularly changing menu of breakfast and light bites is delicious and it’s also a great spot for a coffee. Wash it down with one of their incredible sausage rolls or pastries, you won’t be disappointed. 

Dunkerton's Tap Room

Address: Dowdeswell Park, London Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, GL52 6UT

Dunkerton’s Taproom is a must visit if you’re in the area, showcasing the very best local Cotswolds suppliers. It has become a bit of a local institution and a firm favourite for local dog owners popping in before or after their weekend walks. You’ll rarely see a table without a dog tucked underneath or snuggled on their owners lap in an armchair! It’s all about the food here, home to some of the very best foodie pop ups in Cheltenham. Take your pick from The Woozy Pig and their legendary burgers, Bella Mia for delicious sourdough pizzas or Bombay Street Food Co for authentic Indian street food dishes.

Society Café

Address: 2 Ormond Place, Cheltenham GL50 1JD

This is a fairly new addition to Cheltenham, but with a perfect central location and loads of space, it's a great option to take dogs for really good coffee and cake. I'd highly recommend their caramelised white chocolate flapjack! There's also a very large upstairs which is a great place to go and work for a few hours. 

Baker & Graze

Address: 48 Suffolk Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 2AQ

Baker & Graze is a lovely cafe based up in the pretty Suffolks area of Cheltenham. They have a great brunch menu, the most incredible selection of freshly baked pastries every day and in our opinion, they sell the best sourdough in Cheltenham. Very dog friendly and absolutely worth a visit.

Dog friendly pubs and restaurants Cheltenham (as recommended by Poppy the Cockapoo!)

The Swan

Address: 35 - 37 High Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1DX

We’re lucky enough to have the Swan as our local and their new Indian street food menu is honestly incredible! We love being able to choose from a selection of small sharing plates and are working our way through the menu with each visit. Stand outs for us include the bacon naan (trust us, it works!) and the king prawn kadai. The Swan also has one of the best local independent beer selections in Cheltenham, you’re welcome to bring your own board games to while away a few hours on the comfy sofas.

If Thai is more your thing, they have two sister pubs called The Vine and The Railway - both super dog friendly too.

 

The Tavern

Address: 5 Royal Well Place, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3DN

We love the buzzing atmosphere of the Tavern and Poppy always finds a cosy spot to snooze while we dig into an often enormous dinner. Think American classics meets British gastropub and that’s what you’ll get at the Tavern. Our favourite place for ribs and dirty burgers in Cheltenham. Insider tip - go hungry and if you can squeeze it in after mains, try their sticky toffee pudding - you won’t regret it.

Domaine 16

Address: 16 Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HE

Eating at Domaine 16 is literally like walking into a cheese lover’s dream. Think cheese fondues, baked cheeses and artisan meats. The truffle cheese fondue is probably the best fondue we’ve ever had. Stretchy trousers recommended.

Top tip - Make sure you let them know about your dog on booking as dogs are welcomed on the ground floor only.

The Grape Escape 

Address: The Grape Escape Wine Bar & Merchant, 15 Regent Street, Cheltenham GL50 1HE

A fabulous wine bar with a huge selection of wines and some lovely accompanying nibbles too. The owners are always on hand to give recommendations and a treat or two to Poppy. They’ll also be happy to give you cutlery if you want to take in your own takeaway to enjoy with a bottle of wine.

Gallimores Kitchen

Address: 22 The Courtyard, 22 Montpellier Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1SR

We love this spot tucked away in Montpellier Courtyard for consistently excellent and very good value food. From breakfast through to dinner dogs are always welcomed very warmly (usually with a big plate of ham!) but it's the daily changing fresh seafood specials that we really think are worth visiting for.

The Strand

Address: 40 - 42 High Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1EE

The Strand is a lovely welcoming pub that focuses on using as many independent suppliers as possible. They always have an incredible beer selection, and they absolutely love dogs! We really like their large beer garden in the summer too.

Deya Taproom

Address: Unit 27, Lansdown Industrial Estate, Gloucester Rd, Cheltenham GL51 8PL

Located by the train station in the unlikely location of a trading estate, Deya Taproom is a great place to visit with friends, with loads of seating and a really lively atmosphere at the weekends. The ever-changing schedule of food trucks can be found on their Instagram page. We actually visited Deya every weekend for months before our wedding to try all of the different food trucks for our wedding evening food!

---

Many thanks to Poppy the Cockapoo (and owners Cara and Andy!) for their personal recommendations.

A few readers have been in touch since reading this article and have recommended the following dog friendly Cheltenham places to eat...

The Find

Address: 20 Regent Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1HE

Renowned for its breakfasts, brunches, lunches and the most extraordinary array of home-baked cakes and pastries. The Find is is the perfect cosy corner for a quick bite or leisurely lunch. We love their vegan breakfast with falafel when we're feeling healthy, and their pulled sticky beef pitta when we're not.

The Horsebox at Ellenborough Park

Address: Ellenborough Park, Southam Ln, Cheltenham GL52 3NJ

Situated on the ground floor of Ellenborough Park main house, adjacent to the stylish Atrium, The Horsebox Brasserie is an excellent choice for wholesome, well-cooked pub dishes in a comforting atmosphere. At Ellenborough you can book a 'Pawfect Break' with your four-legged friend or simply enjoy the restaurant. They even have a special Doggie-Menu available.

---

Many venues in The Brewery Quarter Cheltenham are also dog friendly.  Discover more here - Dog friendly venues at The Brewery Quarter.

Keep scrolling for a comprehensive guide to Cheltenham's dog friendly cafes, bars and restaurants...