The month of February is typically dedicated to spending time with your special someone. From flowers and chocolate, to a classic date-night-out on Valentine’s Day. But what about when it comes to that special four-legged someone in your life? The one who was there for the ups and downs and still manages to greet you every day with a happy tail wag?  How about dedicating a date-night to an experience you can enjoy with both your special someones!  In this blog, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite places in the Dallas metroplex to go and get in some quality bonding time!

The Lazy Dog

First on my list is the Lazy Dog Restaurant in Plano, TX  Dining at the Lazy Dog is like stepping into a small mountain chalet, with its rustic timber beams, massive fireplace, and stunning artwork featuring dogs and horses.  Lazy Dog sources ingredients from farmers, carefully picking and preparing each meal by hand every day.  They also feature a seasonal menu, with current selections like Butternut Squash Soup, Wild Boar Chili and Lamb Shank Pot Pie.  Bring your dog along and sit in the dog-friendly outdoor patio where a special Pup Menu offers either hamburger or chicken breast served alongside brown rice and veggies for $5.00.  Be sure to join Pepper’s Pack, and receive a quarterly toy and treat assortment, along with other special member benefits!  The menu is wide and varied, but my favorite dish is the Pot Roast Beef Dip Sandwich with slow-braised pot roast, mozzarella, caramelized onions, horseradish cream sauce, and au jus on the side.  Save room though, for their famous Butter Cake dessert, served warm with Vanilla Ice Cream.  It just melts in your mouth!! With six Dallas metroplex locations, there’s sure to be one near you.  (Please note:  The Allen location is not able to offer doggy dining on the patio, due to current Allen city laws.)

The Shacks at Austin Ranch

Hiding in the looming shadow of Nebraska Furniture Mart is a sparkling gem, The Shacks at Austin Ranch in The Colony. For those of you who love wooded dog parks, The Shacks provides the best in casual dining and a dog-friendly environment. The Shacks is comprised of six small restaurant spaces sprinkled among the trees that share a large open-air patio overlooking, and built around, a one-acre, off leash dog park. From burgers at the Dirty Burger Bar, tacos at OMG Tacos, seafood at the Tackle Box, and drinks from Grrrowlers Tap Room, there’s something for everyone here, even if you can’t quite agree on what you both want to eat for dinner!  Plus, any purchase gets you the code to the awesome dog park, with its small and large dog sections and a variety of benches and play structures. Along with food and drink, The Shacks offer monthly special events to share with your pup like “Yoga Poses with Pups” or “Singles Sunday”.  Click here for a listing of scheduled events!

  Cane Russo

Looking for authentic, fresh, Neapolitan style pizza?  With five locations in the Dallas area including The Star in Frisco, look no further than Cane Rosso!  Their fresh, never frozen dough is made daily in-house using all natural flour imported from Italy.  Pizza sauce is made from hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, and the mozzarella is pulled fresh in-house daily.  Cane Rosso’s pizzas are thin-crust and made to be eaten with a knife and fork.  They are fired in a specially built wood-fired oven from Italy that reaches 900 degrees and cooks the pizzas in under 90 seconds for a delicate and light, slightly charred dough. Our favorite is the “Emma” paired with a classic Cesar Salad making a perfect dinner for two.  Along with a dog-friendly patio at each location, the restaurants all donate a portion of their sales to their non-profit organization, Cane Rosso Rescue.  Formed in 2014, the rescue’s aim is to support local dog rescue groups by creating a network of foster homes, providing access to housing and medical care, and ultimately finding homes for abandoned or homeless dogs across Texas.  So know that with every slice of pizza, you are helping save more dogs’ lives. 

The Yard

Located at Church Street and W. Davis in the heart of downtown McKinney is The Yard.  With both indoor and outdoor patio seating plus a dedicated dog area, it’s the perfect place to grab lunch with your entire family.  The outdoor play area is nestled under a canopy of old oak trees and you’ll find ping pong tables, cornhole, fire pits to gather around, and plenty of space for the kids to run and play.  The Yard features classic backyard grub, such as wings, tacos, pulled pork and other sandwiches.  My favorite is the very large, very tasty Yard Burger with loads of cheese, lettuce and crispy, tangy pickles.  Be aware, Saturdays and Sundays are very crowded and they are closed on Mondays.   

Coming Soon to Allen… MUTTS Canine Cantina

And soon, there will be a new addition to our favorite places! MUTTS Canine Cantina is opening up a location this fall in Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm in Allen. If you haven’t come across MUTTS before at their Uptown Dallas location, you will find yourself at a dog-friendly restaurant and bar with a private, off-leash dog park. Once you’re there, you and your pooch will have a variety of concession-style food options to choose from: their original chicken sandwich, burgers, and milkshakes are a favorite of the two-legged guests, while pupsicles and bite-sized “Doggie Dogs” are on the four-legged guests’ menu. Plus! There is also a full bar that includes local craft beers and their famous Barkaritas. While access to the dog park is only available to those who are members at MUTTS, you can easily join for free and purchase whichever type of pass works for you, whether it be a one-time pass or more. 

There are so many great options, I’m sure you’ll find one that you and your dog will love to come, sit, and stay.