Last week Franco Manca announced that they have become ‘dog friendly’. This a welcome turnaround for the restaurant group that turned away a guide dog from one of their venues in 2018. Fortunately, this shameful incident led to my meeting with Dave Kent, the blind gentleman who required his trusty friend Chad to lead him to a sourdough stuffed crust. My restaurant M subsequently became a supporter of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Each Christmas since, we’ve hosted a festive lunch for a hundred guide dogs and their handlers, one of the most wonderful dining rooms I’ve ever hosted.
Gaucho (another of mine) and M became dog friendly in 2010 and since then my teams and I have hosted over a hundred special lunches and brunches in honour of our four-legged friends. Highlights include a ‘doggy dance off’ during which a buxom lady placed her Maltese terrier on her ample chest and, with a shimmy, repeatedly propelled her pooch into the air, and a Valentine’s event where a poodle arrived for a ‘doggy love match’ contest in a remote control Porsche, dressed in a Madonna costume, with Erotica playing from the car stereo.
This week’s OpenTable picks (see below) are all wonderfully welcoming to canines and in the D&D collection (where I’m about to take over as chief exec) we welcome dogs to Fiume, Pont de la Tour, Madison, German Gymnasium, Butlers Wharf Chop House and the South Place Hotel. When I start next week, my labradoodle Wilbur will be by my side.
Dog dining etiquette is simple and should also apply to children: no noise, no vomiting, no interrupting other diners and, if you make a spillage from your plate or bowl, your parents or owner should offer to clean it up (waiting staff are neither nannies nor hound handlers). Here are some of my favourite dog-friendly restaurants I’ve visited of late.
Prince Arthur
A new modern gastropub in Pimlico serving a Basque menu with the addition of a little British elegance. Kilos of caviar are offered, served on either a turbot dripping potato slice (Dorian style) or on cucumber and is generously used as an ingredient throughout the menu.
I was accompanied to Prince Arthur by Giles Henton, who heads up Pommery prestige and is a lover of a devilled egg; we had four between us, each topped with 5g of Siberian Baerii caviar, of course.
Other taste sensations included cured red mullet, langoustines and a presa Iberica. My only criticism is that there is too much sea urchin on the menu and I am bored of Galician blond beef. Still, this is a fine example of a great pub and restaurant, housed comfortably together under one stylish roof. The wine list is also fantastic: Giles magnanimously opted for Dom Perignon 2013 due to its incredibly reasonable price (£175), which was a perfect pairing for our seafood and egg feast, and led to a wonderful debate around the pros and cons of DP versus Pommery Cuvee Louise.
La Mome
A dog-friendly new addition to The Berkeley Hotel, La Mome has a beautiful dining room, complete with a baby grand. It was created by brothers Ugo and Antoine Lecorche, who have made a name for themselves in their glamorous restaurants in Cannes and Monaco, which share the same name and outstanding vibe.
The menu is Mediterranean Riviera fare at its finest. The beef tartar on truffle arancini was a sensation; smoked stracciatella and focaccia was a delight; a near perfect Nicoise salad was a standout; and the veal Milanese was a hit, coming with the unusual addition of melted taleggio to bump up both the flavour and fat content. Thankfully it is a menu without the calorie count listed (the prices are enough of a reality check).
I visited with Richie Notar, founder of Nobu back in the day and a man who knows his restaurants and wines. We were also in the company of winemaker Ken Forrester, who brought his magical FMC (£120), and his unfiltered Dirty Little Secret (£180) with him. In a blind tasting, you would guess both were the best of Burgundy and four times their actual price.
La Mome is so good that I returned to this modern-day LPM a second time in three days, kickstarting the evening on this occasion with a bottle of magnificent Krug Rose, which stood up perfectly to the crudo et frito. Sublime, smoky steaks followed. My recommendation to finish your evening is to book a table on the new rooftop bar of the adjoining Emory, where legend of the international bar scene Tato Giovannoni has taken a five year residency.
The Punch Bowl
Finally to Essex, where a trip to Osbourne’s in the old town of Leigh on Sea is always a magical mix of mussels and whelks, on this occasion enhanced by a lobster roll with cockle chips served with samphire and vinegar mayonnaise.
This light lunch came prior to a trip to Paglesham, where a very British menu celebrates the regenerative farmers of Essex and the best fish found on the Cornish coastline. Squid, radicchio, saffron and pesto made from turnip tops was a delight, as was my whole lemon sole with wild garlic. Meanwhile, Mrs Williams worked through a venison hotpot with gusto. A bottle of Pinot Noir from the nearby Crouch Valley, made the trip to the land of the East Saxons most worthwhile.
Four dog-friendly restaurants picked by OpenTable
1. 40 Dean Street
Relaxed and affordable Italian cuisine in busy Soho. This family run restaurant serves cracking pasta and seasonal dishes, and Rover is more than welcome to join you as you dine. BOOK HERE
2. Harwood Arms
This rural haven in the middle of Fulham is a collaboration between Brett Graham of the famed Ledbury restaurant, Mike Robinson of the Pot Kiln pub in rural Berkshire and Edwin Vaux from the famous Vaux brewery. It serves modern British cuisine and dogs are allowed. BOOK HERE
3. Catalina’s
Situated beside the BT tower in Fitzrovia, this cosy restaurant serves authentic street tacos prepared using the barbecue grill. And best of all, it’s dog friendly. BOOK HERE
4. Riding House Bloomsbury
Located in Brunswick Shopping Centre, this is a great independent café serving everything from pub classics to refined bites. Head along with your pooch in tow for an awesome brunch experience. BOOK HERE
Whatever the occasion, find your perfect restaurant on OpenTable. Explore real-time availability across London, and filter your results by cuisine, location, and rating. Book today.