One of the things I’ve come to love most about Manchester is just how dog friendly a city it is!
I noticed it long before little Paco came into our lives. The number of small dogs nestled at the feet of their owners in accomodating coffee shops, riding the tram, or taking a stroll along New Islington Marina on their way to the dog park. As a city with more and more pet-friendly apartments (and hotels!) popping up all around, Manchester really is a great place to plan a day out with your doggy in tow.
While the city centre can get incredibly crowded at weekends, there are plenty of quieter locations to head to for more leisurely strolls with your dog, with plenty of dog friendly cafés, bars, restaurants —even shops— to help break up your walk. Scroll down for my recommendations for the best places to head to in the Northern Quarter, Ancoats and further afield.
For our miniature dachshund Paco though, we’ve found that a Barkley & Fetch quilted dog carrier (from Dog Shop MCR) has helped us a lot whenever we wanted to move through busier areas of town, so he didn’t have to be underfoot and at risk of being trampled, but could still look out at the world around him and feel both comfortable and secure.
Dog friendly Manchester eateries
Mackie Mayor
Housed in a stunningly restored Victorian market, Mackie Mayor is home to a variety of food hatches and is one of the first places I always recommend to people visiting from out of town. The communal seating areas are all dog-friendly as well so, as long as your pup is happy to be around lots of people and a cacophony of sounds and smells, this award-winning food hall is definitely one to check out!
There are 9 independent kitchens and bars, serving up an array of dishes from steak, salad and chips at Tender Cow; ramen, snacks and sake at New Wave Ramen; and thai with a twist at Chilli B; to sourdough pizza at Honest Crust; fried chicken burgers, wings and sides at Mumma’s; and tacos, nachos and frozen Margs at Pico’s. Also worth noting; Mackie Mayor is very child friendly too, and has a cosy play area hidden under the stairs.
→Mackie Mayor, Smithfield Market Hall, 1 Eagle St, Manchester M4 5BU
Rudy’s Neopolitan Pizza
As a relaxed neighbourhood pizzeria, following the traditions and artistry of pizza from Naples, all three Rudy’s outposts in town happily welcome small, well-trained dogs into their restaurants. The original Rudy’s, which opened in 2015, is located on Cutting Room Square in Ancoats and is still the most beloved by locals. My go-to order is the Porchetta, a white pizza topped with fior de latte, roast porchetta, sage roasted potatoes, smoked mozzarella, caramelised white onions, cracked black pepper and rosemary oil… *chef’s kiss*
But if potatoes on a pizza are not your think (although they really should be!), I can also vouch for the deliciousness of the Portabello and the Calabrese, while Luis orders the Romagnola every time. They also do the most blow-your-head-off-in-a-good-way garlic aoili, and have recently introduced a few new desserts to their repertoire which I’m excited to try —the Rum Baba in particularly!
→Rudy’s, 9 Cotton St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BF
→Rudy’s, Petersfield House, Peter St, Manchester M2 5QJ
→Rudy’s, 30 Portland St, Manchester M1 4GS
Trof
Located in the Northern Quarter, Trof is a cosy dog friendly restaurant famous for it’s brunch menu, and has been a popular mainstay of all my local friends since I first moved to Manchester in 2017. It’s a city centre venue that just oozes Mancunian charm and feels very ‘of the city’; grungy, intimate and unpolished in the most charming way possible. There’s a vast brunch menu, with all your classics covered and then some (think full + veggie + vegan Englishes, alongside brioche French toast, lamb merguez shakshuka, and confit duck hash); a lunch menu covering burgers, curries and salads; and a dinner menu covering both small and large plates. All of Trof’s meat is supplied by Littlewoods; a traditional butchers specialising in dry aged, grass fed, free range, local meat sourced from the plains of Cheshire. It’s their Sunday Service menu that really hits the spot though, with brunching options until 2pm, and a Sunday Roasts from midday, which include both veggie and vegan options alongside the more traditional topside of beef, crispy pork, roast lamb and chicken.
→Trof, 8 Thomas St, Greater, Manchester M4 1EU
Elnecot
Another great neighbourhood bar and kitchen in Ancoats, Elnecot offers seasonal small plates, weekend brunch and Sunday roasts, whilst welcoming well-behaved doggies with open arms. They do an amazing French toast croissant with poached rhubard and candied pecans for brunch, and I can also recommend their small plates evening menu, which are designed for sharing, and change with the seasons.
→Elnecot, Cutting Room Square, 41 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6AJ
Federal
Another place famous for it’s brunch offerings, Federal launched in 2014 with a tiny Antipodean coffee bar near Shudehill, and have since added larger outposts along both Deansgate and Oxford Road to satisfy the demands of Manchester’s brunch-crazy locals. All welcome well-behaved doggies, so you can happily enjoy their all day brunch menu and artisan ciabatta sandwiches with your beloved pooch in tow.
→Federal, 9 Nicholas Croft, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1EY
→Federal, 194 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3ND
→Federal, No2 Circle Square, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7FS
Dog friendly Manchester coffee shops
Haunt
Haunt has been my coffee shop of choice on my most recent trips into the city (seeing as it’s a short walk from Oxford Road station), and I was happy to discover they welcomed doggies with open arms on my last visit with Paco in tow.
A coffee shop by day, speciality wine and cocktail bar by night, Haunt is the type of place I felt had been missing in Manchester until it popped up on Peter St in 2021. It feels more sophisicated in style than many of Manchester’s coffee shops, whilst not being at all pretentious, and serves delicious coffee by Leed’s roasters, North Star. Their gourmet lunch sandwiches on house focaccia are the real winners for me, with options including Muffuletta (mortadella, fennel salami & provolone), New York Lox (Lancaster smoked salmon with dill & red onion cream cheese) and Caprese (buffalo mozzarella with heritage tomastoes & basil pesto). I’ve also been very tempted by their evening Sficione menu, with traditional Sicilian pizza slices offered alongside a selection of homemade Italian antipasti and an enticing aperitivo menu featuring multiple spritzes and classic cocktails.
→Haunt, 58 Peter St, Manchester M2 3NQ
Foundation Coffee House
The first coffee shop I ever in Manchester, Foundation remains one of my faves —and everyone else’s too it seems! There are now 4 outposts in the city but the original Northern Quarter premises is still the one I’d most recommend as it’s huge so, while typically pretty busy during the day with laptop workers, you can usually manage to snag yourself a table, snug or window bay. I know the NQ venue, and the Foundation Coffee House attached to Whitworth Locke are both dog friendly, the other two I haven’t yet had confirmation on. All offer coffee from Origin roasters, while the NQ venue has a substantial daily brunch menu including The Foundation Fry-Up (+vegan option), sticky toffee French toast, eggs Benedict, Royale and Florentine, as well as smashed avocado on toast with a number of accompaniments.
→Foundation Coffee House, Sevendale House, Lever St, Manchester M1 1JB
→Foundation Coffee House, 48-50 Whitworth St, Manchester M1 6LS
Pollen
I always refer to Pollen as the ‘best bakery in town’ and, to date, I stand by this claim! There are two outposts in town, one at New Islington Marina and the other within Kampus near Piccadilly Station, and both are super dog friendly. The sourdough and viennoiserie bakery started life under the Piccadilly railway arches before moving to Cotton Field Wharf in 2018, and then opening an 2,600 sq ft cafe and kitchen —with an extended menu— at Kampus in 2022. Their pastries are utterly delicious; the perfect ratio of flaky to buttery, and there are usually delectable sounding seasonal Danish and croissant options to choose from. The only downside is it’s popularity and on weekends there are usually queues right out the door at both sites. I recommend visiting on weekdays, as early as possible, or just grabbing a selection bag of pastries to go if a table is hard to come by. I promise you, you won’t regret it.
→Pollen, Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ
→Pollen @ Kampus, 42 Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3GL
Pot Kettle Black (PKB)
Nestled inside the beautiful Barton Arcade, Pot Kettle Black is an Antipodean café with a all day brunch menu and a dog friendly premises. There are sweet options including blueberry crumble croissant French toast and toasted strawberry banana bread, alongside savory options including skillet beans, parmesan & truffle scrambled eggs, and smashed avocado with chilli, feta, poached eggs & pickled onions. That last one has been my go-to order my past three visits!
→Pot Kettle Black, Barton Arcade, Manchester M3 2BW
Feel Good Club
A wellness-focused cafe in the heart of the Northern Quarter, Feel Good Club positively encourage you to bring your pooch along with you, right down to their doggy-friendly menu which includes doggy pork sausages, whipped cream pup cups, and cuddles from the team! For humans the menu is just as exciting, with an extensive all day brunch selection including lots of veggie and vegan options. Personal faves include their Feel Good breakfast bagel (loaded with smashed avocado, grilled halloumi and a fried egg), vegan mac ‘n’ cheese on garlic toast, and their turmeric & chilli tofu scramble.
→Feel Good Club, 26-28 Hilton St, Manchester M1 2EH
Dog friendly Manchester bars
Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse
A family-run brewery with a welcoming attitude toward dogs, Seven Brothers Beerhouse offer craft beer straight from the source, with eight beer lines filled with the full selection of Seven Brothers beers, all brewed right here in Manchester (in Salford Quays, close to where I used to live). And, before you ask, yes, they really are 7 brothers. Plus they have 4 sisters who have, coincidentally, came together to create their own gin brand called —you’ve guessed it— 4Sisters! There are 3 beerhouses in town, all of which positively encourage you to bring your dog along, in Ancoats, Media City and Middlewood Locks. While I don’t personally drink beer I have it on good authority that all of their offerings are sublime. I can vouch for the gin though (I’ve had many an excellent G&Tmade with 4Sisters) and they also stock another great Manchester tipple —Sunshiiine hard seltzer— which I’ve been turned onto this past summer.
→Seven Brothers Ancoats, 39 Blossom St, Manchester, M4 5AF
→Seven Brothers Media City, Orange Building, Salford, M50 2HE
→Seven Brothers Middlewood Locks, Lockside Lane, Salford, M5 4YP
The Jane Eyre
This stylish neighbourhood bar on Cutting Room Square in Ancoats offers up Mediterranean inspired small plates alongside an eclectic range of keg and bottle beers, and a curated cocktail menu designed to let the ingredients speak for themselves. They also do a mean Sunday Roast, with croquettes and boquerones to start, followed by the roast of the day (and vegan Nut Roast option) served with duck fat potatoes, cauliflower cheese and agave roasted carrots. Dogs are very welcome in both the indoor and outdoor seating areas.
→The Jane Eyre, 14 Hood St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6WX
Cask
With 2 city centre venues —one in Castlefield, the other at New Islington Marina— Cask is a dog-friendly bar with a comprehensive beer list featuring many local brews, German wheat beers, strong Belgian imports, special American imports and bottles from around the world. Dog friendly inside and out, Cask is the place to head to for a relaxing drink in the early evening, especially the marina location which has a large outdoor waterside terrace.
→Cask, 29 Liverpool Rd, Manchester M3 4NQ
→Cask, Cottonfield Wharf, 2 New Union Street New Islington Marina, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6FQ
Dog friendly Manchester shops
Form Lifestyle Store
Tucked away down a side alley between Oldham and Lever Streets in the Northern Quarter, Form Lifestyle Store is definitely one worth going out of your way to hunt down. Housed in an architecturally striking listed building, founders Elly and Harry have curated a gorgeous collection of lifestyle pieces that have been made slowly and with care; with a focus on natural materials, longevity, and simplicity in design. Small well-behaved dogs on leads are allowed in store, where they might bump in to resident pooch, Rudy (above).
→Form Lifestyle Store, 6 Bradley St, Manchester M1 1EH
Fred Aldous
A creative haven on Stevensen Square in the Northern Quarter, Fred Aldous invites dogs to join their owners while they explore their wonderful world of arts and crafts, housed over three floors and stocking over 25,000 art, craft and design led products. There are also two vintage chemical photobooths, where you can get a series of cute snapshots with your beloved pup, while arts and crafts workshops are run in the basement (although doggies sadly cannot join in with the creating!).
→Fred Aldous, 37 Lever St, Manchester M1 1LW
Afflecks
This iconic independent shopping emporium in Manchester’s Northern Quarter houses numerous independent shops and welcomes well-behaved dogs throughout, making it a great place to while away a wet afternoon in the city. With over 60 small shops operating at any one time —from tattoo artists to fashion boutiques— Afflecks is regularly voted a ‘must-see’ for all visitors to the city.
→Afflecks, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW
Waterstones
Another great place to explore with your dog on a wet afternoon are the three vast floors of Waterstones bookshop on Deansgate. Stocking a massive range of titles across all genres, the Manchester flagship store also boasts a second floor café, where you can read and enjoy a coffee with your pup by your side.
→Waterstones, 91 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2BW
General Stores
If you need to do some food or household shopping whilst out in Manchester with your dog, then General Stores have you covered. Much more than a standard convenience store, General Stores ethos is to serve the local community as a convenience store, coffee shop, post office and first point of call for pretty much anything you might want or need. Craft beer, natural wines, vegan produce and locally-sourced wares sit alongside milk, bread, eggs and other daily essentials, to create a truly unique retail experience. All stores are doggy friendly.
→General Stores, 57 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 5AB
→General Stores, Amenity Building, Deansgate Square, Owen St, Manchester M15 4YB
Dog Shop MCR
A store dedicated to all things canine, The Dog Shop on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter offers a wide range of pet products and of course, welcome dogs with open arms. This is probably Paco’s favourite store in town and every time we walk past he stops at the door and demands to be allowed inside! I don’t think we’ve ever left empty handed, always being coerced in buying another dog toy or bag of treats by his big brown pleading eyes! This is the place where we stock up on his favourite sweet potato flour based treats, W’ZIS, which come in a cute round metal tin just made for shaking (and capturing your pup’s attention on walks). The pink tin —Lamp Post & Chips— is his favourite, but the yellow tin (Postman & Roast) and green tin (Slipper & Biscuit) are on the list for him to try next…
→Dog Shop MCR, 75 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LS
Barkside MCR
Newly opened within Kampus, the Barkside MCR is a dog shop, daycare and grooming salon all-in-one. Stocking a wide range of doggy clothing, accessories, food and treats, this is another place I know Paco will drag me to again and again…
→Barkside MCR, Minshull House, Kampus, Manchester M1 3FY
Dog friendly Manchester hotels
Residence Inn
If you’re planning a trip to the city and want a dog friendly place to stay I can certainly recommend the newly opened Residence Inn, where Luis and I recently spent the night along with our little Paco. An extended-stay hotel, located close to Manchester Piccadilly and the Northern Quarter, there are 155 spacious studios and one-bedroom suites, which offer you a wonderful home-away-from-home with your pets. The apartments are equipped with a fully functional kitchen so you can cook for yourself throughout your stay, while downstairs there is a coffee shop with grab’n’go counter and a large communal area with plenty of comfortable seating, which is also super dog-friendly.
→Residence Inn Manchester Piccadilly, 40 Laystall St, Manchester M1 2JZ
Whitworth Locke
A place I’ve not stayed with my dog, but is also super pet friendly, is Whitworth Locke, part of the Locke Living group of aparthotels. I’ve stayed in two of their London outposts (sans dog) and had a wonderful time at each, so feel confident that a stay at Whitworth Locke in Manchester would be just as comfortable. With interiors designed by Grzywinski+Pons, the 160 room aparthotel features a beautiful bar, lounge and co-working area on the ground floor, alongside Foundation Coffee House (as detailed above), where I’ve visited with Paco several times.
→Whitworth Locke, 74 Princess St, Manchester M1 6JD
New Maker Yards by Get Living
If you’re thinking of actually relocating to Manchester (which I definitely think you should do!) then you’ll be pleased to hear there are plenty of new residential buildings springing up across the city that are super pet friendly. This includes Get Living’s New Maker Yards neighbourhood, a growing canal-side community of fully funished new build homes at Middlewood Locks in Salford, a short walk from Manchester city centre across the new footbridge connecting Trinity Way with Water Street.
New Maker Yards offer 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments to rent, which all feature private outdoor space, and are pet-friendly. As a pioneering rental operator, Get Living understand how important pets are in our lives and, as someone who has previously rented homes with an adamant no-pet-policy, I know how much of a draw it is to find rental homes that positively advocate for tenants to be allowed to have pets, at no extra cost. I’ve also had a sneak peek into both their 2 and 3-bed apartments and can vouch for the fact they are furnished to the highest standards, with plenty of storage space to boot (which is always much needed!).
→New Maker Yards by Get Living, 15 Middlewood St, Salford M5 4YW
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Photography © Kate Baxter & Luis Leiva
One Response
I wish I could take my dog into the city, but she hates people. I think she’s the only grumpy Golden!
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