From a surfer’s paradise in New Quay to artists’ enclaves perched on cliffs at St Ives, Cornwall has some of the best dog friendly pubs in Cornwall and they go that extra mile for our furry friends. A Cornwall dog-friendly pub is not hard to find, so you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to that welcome pint with Fido by your side.
The Best Pubs in Cornwall that Dogs are Catered for
Take your pick from the best of Cornwall dog pubs in Cornwall that are going to be as happy to welcome your dog, as they are happy to see you.
As a dog owner you won’t have to compromise on the quality of pub grub or forego the best local beers and ciders in Cornwall because we have handpicked seven of the best dog friendly pubs and inns for you to visit. Of course a pub by the sea is a great pitch stop for those challenging coastal walks but let us not forget the hidden hinterland gems too.
Enjoy a Stargazy pie at a dog pub along Cornwall’s 300-mile coastline or venture inland and sit in a pub garden with a pint of real ale and an iconic Cornish pastie before you and your four-legged family member carry on discovering this beautiful county’s delights.
Here are our favourite pubs that allow dogs in Cornwall and have pub grub menus with the emphasis on freshly caught seafood, Cornish ales and each go the extra dog-friendly mile. Many of these pubs also have loads of walks for dogs in Cornwall close by if you fancy a stroll after dinner.
Our Top 7 Choices
Find below 7 of the best pet friendly pubs in Cornwall
1. The Ship Inn in Portloe
The Ship is off the beaten track, five minutes from the shoreline, in this picturesque fishing village. The interior has a distinct nautical theme and there is a peaceful beer garden sloping down to a wooded valley and running stream. This is a pet friendly pub paradise, especially for water babies such as spaniels and Labradors. It serves the best of St Austell ales and if you are around on Tom Bawcock’s Eve there might be Stargazy on the menu, a pie made from eggs and potatoes and pilchards peeking out of the pastry top.
2. The Castle Inn, St Ives
It says it all if the locals and luminaries such as Barbara Hepworth have and still make it their pub port o’call for real Cornish ales, bar bites and fresh beer battered cod and chips. A bonus is that your fur babies who, if well behaved, can take a seat beside you. Running parallel to the harbour the Castle Inn promises the best doggy welcome in St Ives with thirst-quenching bowls of water, biscuits and “lots of love”. For real ale fans there’s Skinners’ Betty Stoggs and Sennen there’s the Castle’s 30 Cornish Gin Menu, some from St Ives’ own gin distillery.
3. The Old Coastguard in Mousehole
The Old Coastguard is a dog-friendly hotel has a sun deck overlooking a tropical garden sloping down to the harbour. Dogs are as much part of a break as their owners at the Old Coastguard. Dogs are welcome in the bar and on the decking with views of St Michael’s Mount and the Lizard. on the decking as well as in the bar. The gourmet pub grub menu offers locally sourced dishes that include new potatoes known as Cornish “earlies” and freshly caught hake, wild sea bass and ray wing.
4. The Hole In The Wall in Bodmin
This former debtor’s prison announces that well-behaved adults and dogs are welcome. Its name comes from the fact food was passed through a hole in the wall to prisoners between 1749 and 1779. This eccentric dog-friendly pub has a leafy courtyard with a stream running through it and a stuffed lion in a glass case. Its Cornish real ales such as Butcombe and Sharpe’s earned it Cornwall’s best Camra Pub of the Year in 2015 and 2016. While it is not serving food you are welcome to BYO pub picnic grub.
5. The Admiral Benbow in Penzance
The pub welcomes dogs of all sizes from Chihuahuas to Chow Chows. Made famous by Robert Louis Stevenson with a mention in the opening chapter of Treasure Island, it goes back to the 17th century. Described as a mix between a museum and a pub it has nauticalia and shipwreck pieces salvaged from the South West Coastal Path shoreline that you and your pooch can walk part of. It serves Cornish ales such as Sharpe’s Doombar and posh pub grub which includes creamy crab soup and a fish pie packed with freshly caught prawns, monkfish, smoked haddock and hake.
6. Beerwolf Books Free House in Falmouth
An unusual combination of books and beer, this fascinating dog friendly free house has the unusual option of BYO food so that you can browse the shelves of second-hand books, real ale in hand. In a quiet street off the main drag in Falmouth there is plenty of outdoor space where you can enjoy your homemade pub picnic at one of the tables with your furry friend at your feet. Its name, a play on Beowulf, an epic old English poem, is fitting for this quirky dog pub that is close to the St Mawes Ferry terminal. Many of the pubs on this list are close to the vast range of pet friendly beaches in Cornwall.
7. Driftwood Spars, St Agnes
This is a pescatarian, veggie and vegan’s heaven with fish landed daily at Newlyn Harbour or 200 yards away in Trevaunance Cove and a choice of meat-free and non-dairy options. With Fido in tow you can choose to drink and eat in one of Drifty’s three cosy bars with log burning stoves or in the dog friendly summer garden with the sound of waves crashing. It daily specials such as gin-cured mackerel and brown crab risotto with samphire butter you can enjoy a pint of this microbrewery pub’s Alfie’s Revenge or Beacon Pale Ale. All the ales are gluten free and you can buy the beers at the pub’s adjoining shop.
Last Word
The 422-mile coastline is hard to beat and provides some fantastic dog friendly days out in Cornwall and with it comes pubs and inns that are steeped in history, full of nautical memorabilia and one is even a book and beer hang-out. You won’t have to look far to find a Cornwall dog friendly pub that not only takes dogs but welcomes dogs with open arms.
Why not also more self catering stays in Cornwall that are pet friendly and pet friendly log cabins in Cornwall if you are visiting?
We also cover Cornwall dog friendly hot tub cottage breaks here.
If you own pubs that take dogs around the Cornwall area, then get in touch and we may be able to add you to this list.