Cleveland-area restaurants are allowing, even serving, pets during warm weather

You’re hardly home as it is. Does it break your heart that you have to leave your pooch behind even when you go get something to eat?

There’s no need to feel guilty anymore. Some restaurants in Cleveland are now “pet friendly.”

Katie Hersh, senior justice studies major, said it sounded like a fun idea to take her toy fox terrier, Jada, out with her to dinner.

“If I was going to Cleveland for a reason, I might take her with me,” Hersh said. “My boyfriend, John, lives in Chicago now, and it’s popular there. It seems to be popular in the bigger cities.”

One such restaurant in Cleveland is Market Avenue Wine Bar, which serves 85 to 90 types of wine and has beer and hors d’oeuvres. Joy Valentine, the manager of Market Avenue Wine Bar, said dogs are allowed on the patio outside of the restaurant.

“Dogs can’t be inside because of health codes,” Valentine said. “The dogs can be unleashed on the patio as long as they’re well behaved. The dogs get a designated water bowl, and I usually give a piece of salami to the nice dogs.”

Presti’s Bakery at 12101 Mayfield Road also lets customers have dogs on its patio. Presti’s is not only a bakery but also an Italian caf‚ that serves dessert, cannoli, doughnuts, sandwiches, stromboli and pizza, according to Cleveland.com.

“I give the dogs treats and water, which is free,” said Claudia DiBartolo, the manager of Presti’s Bakery. “But the dog has to be on a leash.”

For the past two years, Great Lakes Brewing Company has one day out of the year made just for dogs, and it’s called the Dog Days of Summer.

“We have a special menu just for dogs,” said Elizabeth Buck, the manager of Great Lakes Brewing Company. “We also bring in dog psychics, caricatures and a masseuse. We close the street for all the venders to come in.”

Even though the Dog Days of Summer has already passed, customers can still bring their dog with them until the weather gets too cold.

“When the weather is good, there is seating on the sidewalk,” Buck said. “We give water bowls and all-natural dog treats for free. Even though we’ve never had any issues, the dog must stay on the leash.”

To learn more about Great Lakes Brewing Company, go to greatlakesbrewing.com.

Contact features correspondent Carrie Circosta at [email protected].