Charlottesville! My home-for-now and a great town for dog owners. In case y’all didn’t know – I’m a new dog mom! Since adopting Bentley, I’ve been looking for dog-friendly cafes where I can pop in for a quick coffee on my morning walks with him. My search began back in October when the cold weather encroached, and I began asking the coffee shops I frequented if they permitted well-behaved four-legged friends. While many provide spaces outdoors for you and your animal, very few permit dogs to enter their establishments – thus being truly dog-friendly!

Alas, I have found three coffee shops and eateries who allow your furry friends to accompany you inside to order – a necessary step in enjoying a hot beverage or pastry in their outdoor space! I am very excited to share these gems with Charlottesville’s dog-lover population! While there may be more in town, I focused my search on shops within a walkable radius from the end of West Main and the Downtown Mall area.

Cheers to picking up your pour over/Americano/latte with your pup on your daily walks and to continuing to support local businesses. A big thank you to these establishments for collaborating on this post and for making Charlottesville a more dog-friendly city!

Guajiros

Guijiros opened up its new West Main location in November – and it is a hit in my book for several reasons! Firstly, it is one of the few coffee shops to open at 7:00am, which is my prime walking hour. This eatery serves Miami-inspired food with flavors from Cuba and Central and South America. Did I mention that they serve breakfast all day?!

It is owned by three brothers, and in addition to permitting dogs to come inside while you order, they have a great outdoor patio with space heaters in these cooler months and additional tables out front.

I can confidently say that their tostones rellenos are fire and their breakfast tacos are out of this world. Bentley and I can’t wait to come back!

J-Bird

J-Bird Supply Coffee is a small-batch coffee roaster in Charlottesville, and sometimes elsewhere depending on the day and where their mobile pop-up is parked! The owners of J-Bird, Jon and Cheryl, have a goal to engender a sense of community – one that I was excited to learn includes doggos!

The space is clean and fresh, smells like a coffee-haven (naturally), and is somewhere you’ll want to stay and work for hours. Their coffee is fantastic, and the folks there are so incredibly personable.

To learn more about this spot, be sure to check out this Studio IX Spotlight!

Java Java Cafe

Java Java Cafe is one of several coffee shops on the downtown mall, but it is the only coffee shop on the mall that permits you to bring your four-legged friend inside! They specialize in organic and fair trade coffee and tea and serve pastries from Albemarle Baking Company – YUM. They have a great outdoor patio area once you order your coffee and fare.

Other Things for You and Your Pup

For other things to do with your dogs, check out this list of hiking trails in Charlottesville (all are dog-friendly with the exception of Ragged Mountain).

I’ve also discovered the best dog park I’ve ever known: Chris Green Lake. A short 3-5 minute walk along a trail takes you to a fenced-in park with trees and lake access. If your dog is a swimmer, they’ll love this spot!

Don’t have a dog but want to hang with one for the day? The Charlottesville and Albemarle SPCA organize Fido Field trips where you can help a pup by getting them out of the shelter for the day! Check out their website to learn more about volunteer requirements.

Be sure to follow Apollo, our local insta-famous pup! His owner Megan is always sharing discount codes and helpful info on doggie products – not to mention mega photo inspo!

I hope you and your pup enjoy these spots as much as we do!