Top Pet-Friendly Restaurants In The Philadelphia Area

Treat your canine comrade like a true best friend by inviting him out to dine once in a while. Philadelphia has plenty of pet-friendly eateries where dogs are welcome to accompany owners. Order up your favorite meal while Rover slurps up a bowl full of H2O. Put on bestie's collar, attach the leash and enjoy a dog day afternoon, morning or evening at one of these top pet-friendly restaurants.

FARMiCiA Restaurant
15 S. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19176
(215) 627-6274
www.farmiciarestaurant.com

FARMiCiA features delicious flavors of organic fare in a friendly, casual atmosphere. This popular eatery, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunches, is like a breath of fresh air in the middle of Old City restaurants that sometimes tend to serve trendy, overly prepared dishes. Happy hour at the bar is available from Tuesday through Friday evenings, with reduced-price food and drinks, and you can BYOB any time. Eat outdoors when weather permits. A water bowl will be provided for your pooch.

In Riva
4116 Ridge Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19129
(215) 438-4848
www.in-riva.com

This Italian pizza parlor along the banks of the Schuylkill River is a neighborhood fixture for canines and owners in East Falls. Gourmet pizzas, pasta dishes, scrumptious appetizers, Italian craft beers and amazing cocktails named after Italian cyclists fill the menu. A red wooden fence encloses an accommodating outdoor area with water bowls for pups and picnic tables for people. If you love pizza, punk rock, pooches and bikes, you'll adore this place.

Sabrina's Cafe
910 Christian St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 574-1599
www.sabrinascafe.com

If you crave comfort food, then check out Sabrina's Cafe. Located in the heart of the Italian Market, the place is usually packed with guests waiting to chow down on oversized portions of Sabrina's delicious signature dishes like its famous stuffed French toast and huevos rancheros. Of course, any respectable Philly foodie knows that Sabrina's ranks as simply the best brunch spot in the city. Grab a table on the sidewalk. It's great for people watching, and your best beastie can lap up some cool water while you enjoy the food and the show.

The White Dog Café
3420 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 386-9224
www.whitedog.com

The White Dog Cafe hasn't gone to the dogs. Yes, it is canine-friendly, and yes, it is environmentally conscious, but this popular eatery has been keeping guests and their pets happy for more than 25 years now. Social activist and Chef Kevin von Klause run the restaurant, serving up wholesome dishes including vegan ravioli, catfish tacos and turkey sausage sandwiches, all made with fresh, locally grown, organic ingredients. Weather permitting, guests can dine outdoors while Fido makes some friends and laps up a refreshing bowl of water.

Related: Top Cookbooks By Philadelphia Authors

If heading to the Jersey Shore:

Wonder Bar
1213 Ocean Ave.
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
(732) 502-8886
www.wonderbarasburypark.com

When you're down at the Jersey Shore, stop in at the Wonder Bar. This is the piece de resistance for partying pups. Its back deck has been converted into a gated dog run where canines can socialize and play while owners enjoy a great night out full of live music and good food and drink. Swimming pools, an agility area and a special time-out area for frisky Fidos are open to neutered pups with rabies shots during Yappy Hour, held Thursday through Sunday nights. Asbury Park also features a designated dog beach. On summer mornings, you can play with your furry friend at 8th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. During the off seasons, let your pooch run free anywhere, anytime.

Related: Top Pet-Friendly Hotels In Philadelphia

Susan DeFeo has been a professional writer since 1997. She served as a community events columnist for New Jersey's "Cape May County Herald" for more than a decade. A writer for numerous online publications, Susan has covered health, fitness, beauty and travel, all subjects that are near and dear to her as a married mother of seven children. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.