Dog-Friendly Craft Breweries on the Gulp Coast
Feel free to bring Fido and Fluffy along when you visit these craft breweries in St. Pete/Clearwater.
Pinellas Ale Works, aka PAW, is about as dog-friendly as they come.
Lots of folks who love craft beer also love their dogs. Fortunately, plenty of craft breweries in St. Pete/Clearwater have outdoor spaces that welcome dogs as well as their people. The breweries typically offer water bowls and doggy treats – and some do much more – for beloved canine companions. Several breweries also hold fun events that raise money for local animal rescue organizations.
Pinellas Ale Works in St. Pete was named the most pet-friendly brewery in the U.S.
There is one thing that all dog-friendly breweries ask: Be sure your pet is well-behaved and leashed at all times while on the property. That also goes for any non-canine pets as well. There have been reports of cats, birds, rabbits, lizards, raccoons, goats – and at least one hedgehog – showing up with their owners.
Pinellas Ale Works, St. Pete
Some of Pinellas Ale Works' craft beer offerings have dog-themed names. Puppy Love IPA, anyone?
It should come as no surprise that a brewery that features a dog's paw print in its logo and is known by the acronym "PAW" is dog-friendly. In fact, Pinellas Ale Works is so incredibly welcoming to furry friends that it was named the Best Dog-Friendly Brewery in the U.S. by chewy.com in 2023. Located in St. Pete’s Grand Central District, PAW offers treats for dogs to nibble on while their humans enjoy a wide variety of craft beers with names such as Puppy Love IPA, Milk Bone Sweet Stout and Pomeranian Porter. The resident food truck, Made Fresh Taqueria, offers a menu for dogs alongside its human menu, and the brewery holds fundraisers for local dog-focused organizations. From 4-6 p.m. every Thursday, a local dog rescue group brings in adoptable dogs, and a portion of beer sales that evening goes to the rescue.
Overflow Brewing Company, St. Pete
The owners of Overflow Brewing Company in downtown St. Pete believe that dogs are an important part of many people's lives and should be included in their leisure and social activities. Overflow’s entire outdoor seating area is open to both humans and dogs alike, and there’s a spacious patio with ample seating and shade options. For the humans, the brewery’s taps feature a wide variety of beer styles including dark and roasty, sours, German-style brews and IPAs.
Green Bench Brewing Co., St. Pete
Dogs and their people relax on Green Bench Brewing Co.'s spacious patio.
Bring the whole family, including the furry kids, to the spacious beer garden at Green Bench Brewing Co. Dogs have been welcome here since the brewery opened in St. Pete's EDGE District in 2013. Sitting at one of the many picnic tables or other outdoor spots, dogs and humans can enjoy live music and movies in the beer garden. While the dogs have fun meeting new friends, their owners can indulge in a pint or two of delicious craft brews – try the popular Sunshine City IPA or Postcard Pilsner.
Arkane Aleworks, Largo
The fenced-in outdoor beer garden behind Arkane Aleworks in Largo is a great place to bring your pup to chill after a long walk or a day at a dog park. You can relax at one of the shady picnic tables and enjoy a cool craft brew while your dog enjoys its own social time. The brewers specialize in sour beers, but don’t worry – there are other types on tap for craft beer drinkers who aren't fans of that style.
Troubled Waters Brewing, Safety Harbor
A family-owned small brewery in the heart of Safety Harbor, Troubled Waters Brewing welcomes well-behaved dogs on their patio, where their owners can sip on craft beers, including Beach Dog IPA. Of course there are other brews, but that one just sounds perfect after a day spent at Honeymoon Island dog beach with the pup. Troubled Waters has worked with Dogs Allowed Tampa Bay, a local group that helps local animal rescue groups reach their adoption and fundraising goals, holding a Sunday Funday Adoption Pawty featuring adoptable dogs, live music and raffles.
Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin
For nearly 30 years, Dunedin Brewery has served up quality craft beer in a dog-friendly spot.
Dunedin Brewery, which opened in 1996, calls itself Florida's oldest craft brewery. For many years, the Dunedin brewery hosted a Sunday Dunedin Doggie Rescue dog wash, but eventually it became so popular that it had to find a larger location. The brewery still makes donations to the group and, of course, welcomes pups and owners anywhere in its outdoor space. Stop by on your way home from Achieva Paw Park and sample some of the brewery’s classic-style beers, such as Nelson Sauvin IPA and Beach Tale Brown Ale, while enjoying live music.
Cueni Brewing Co., Dunedin
The shaded patio at Cueni Brewing Co. welcomes friendly pets and their owners.
Affectionately known as “Dogedin,” Dunedin also is home to Cueni Brewing Co., one of the other breweries in town that warmly welcome four-legged furry friends. The patio at Cueni has several areas covered with canopies that provide shade for both humans and dogs. Among the fundraising events for local dog charities that Cueni holds, a holiday supply drive each December supports the Suncoast Animal League in Palm Harbor. They also brew special beers and donate the proceeds to dog and cat charities; sales of a peanut butter banana-flavored Helles Lager brought in nearly $400 for the Suncoast Animal League.
HOB Brewing Company, Dunedin
The vast patio at HOB Brewing Company is a perfect spot for pooches and their craft beer-loving owners.
Adjacent to the Pinellas Trail in Dunedin, HOB Brewing Company, has a massive, mostly shaded patio with an Astroturf section, and dogs are always welcome. You can check out the happy pooches on the very dog-friendly patio by viewing the brewery’s Instagram page, @hob_dogs. While you're there, grab a tasty, cool brew from one of its 24 taps, maybe one of their spicy/pepper beers.
Woodwright Brewing Co., Dunedin
Woodright Brewing Co. even has its own dog-filled Instagram account.
Built in a historic Dunedin woodworking shop, Woodwright Brewing boasts a large beer garden for dogs and their humans to enjoy. Sometimes the brewery’s permanent food truck, The Duneatery, will offer up homemade dog treats as well. Woodwright has a dog-focused Instagram account, @woodwright_wags, that's full of photos of dogs happily visiting the brewery. Humans can enjoy a pint of Woodwright’s classic Hefeweizen and Dunkelweizen styles while their dog mingles with friends old and new.
Unrefined Brewing, Tarpon Springs
Chill with an IPA and your canine companion on the front porch at Unrefined Brewing.
The covered patio out front at Unrefined Brewing in Tarpon Springs is an awesome spot for chilling with your dog while sipping one of the brewery's sour beers or an IPA, wheat beer or other style brewed in their small-batch system. There's more room for the humans and dogs to roam around the outside the building, not to mention a public dog park less than a mile away and the Pinellas Trail even closer. Unrefined holds an annual event to benefit local dog rescues and occasionally hosts dog adoption events.
If I Brewed the World, St. Pete
If I Brewed The World is the brain child of the authors of a book that bears the same name. Check them out in St. Pete.
Considered the mixtape of breweries, you'll find a little bit of everything with a wide selection of globally inspired craft brews on tap. They have an entire back patio area for the doggos of Downtown St. Pete! With 30 (and counting) awards under their belt and authors of a “Beer Bar” book, it’s no secret the guys at If I Brewed the World know what they're doing.
Dog Bar St. Pete has an off-leash area and full-service bar.
Other Dog-Friendly Places to Enjoy an Adult Beverage
A few other businesses in St. Pete/Clearwater are specifically designed for you to enjoy an adult drink while your dog socializes and plays with others. Note that both are for ages 21 and up (the humans, not the dogs).
Dog Bar, St. Pete
Dog Bar on Central Ave. in downtown St. Pete offers an off-leash dog park and a full-service sports bar so both the pooches and their humans can have a good time. The 4,500-square-foot, fenced-in and AstroTurf-covered dog park area is overseen during busy times by a “Wooferee,” though the owners ask that you keep an eye on your dog at all times. Dogs are required to be registered, so be sure to visit Dog Bar’s website for details before heading there.
Mutts & Martinis, St. Pete
Downtown St. Pete has a new place where dogs can splash around and cool off while their owners sip on a cocktail – opt for a Muttgarita or Mastiff Mojito – or a pint of beer. You read that right: Mutts & Martinis has a dog waterpark that features a splash pad and shallow saltwater pool just for the pups. Dogs have to follow the rules, and they must be registered. Memberships are available for those who stop in regularly – check the website.
About Our Writer
Gerard Walen, a Tampa native, spent a lot of his time as a boy in St. Pete/Clearwater – beach trips with the family, fishing, ball games, concerts – and much later on, exploring the booming craft brewery scene. Gerard graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in mass communications, and worked as a writer/editor at Florida newspapers, including The Tampa Tribune, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Gainesville Sun. Then he discovered craft beer and started blogging and writing about it as a freelancer. In 2014, his book “Florida Breweries” (Stackpole Books) was published. A current resident of Crystal River, he still loves exploring the craft beer world.