Join us as we explore the best dog-friendly cafés, restaurants, shops and parks our cool little capital has to offer. Got a dog-friendly spot you want us to visit? Leave a comment below! Check out our other Dog-Friendly blog posts here.
Who: Beach Babylon
What: Café and restaurant
Where: 232 Oriental Parade, Oriental Bay, Wellington
When: 8am til late 7 days a week. Open every day, including public holidays (except Christmas Day)
Perfect For: Lazy weekend brunches and summer afternoon beersies. They're also BYO after 5.30pm (wine only and with a main meal)
Dogs Allowed: In the covered and uncovered outdoor areas
Open for brunch, lunch and dinner, sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, this retro beachside café and restaurant exudes some serious 70’s summer vibes. Serving up Peoples' coffee, an impressive range of New Zealand craft beers, tiki cocktails (YUM) and local wines alongside Insta-worthy food for you and your furry dining companion.
We all know you can't beat Wellington on a good day and it's looking like we're on our way to another stunning summer (finger's crossed!), and this spot could not be more perfect to kick off our Dog Friendly Wellington blog series.
Soak up the sun and people-watch in their insanely popular outdoor area on one of Wellington's prettiest streets facing the harbour (we highly recommend booking a table to avoid disappointment - this place fills up FAST!), seek some shade in their covered dining area, or time travel to the 70's and dine inside.
This Wellington institution has been dog-friendly for years. Alongside water bowls and multiple hooks for dog parking, their impressive "K9" menu includes the Dogaccino: water and frothy milk sprinkled with beef stock, served cold - the way they like it - for $2.50.
And not ones to feel left out while you tuck into your Persian Eggs (personal fave) or their famous Corn Fritters, Beach Babylon also offer a changing selection of gourmet dog biscuits, 2 for $3, a platter of tasty meat off-cuts for $7, and deluxe cold mince for $8.
This is also an excellent spot for those craving a bit of dog love. The chances of running into one of their regulars - Coco, Riley, Rosie, Reggie, Pax, Star, Pepper, Mac & Woolfie to name a few - is highly likely!
Aware of the negative effects humans are causing to our precious planet, Beach Babylon are making huge efforts to be more eco-friendly including minimising the usage of straws (and the ones they do use are recyclable) and using biodegradable packaging. They recycle all of their plastic and paper and compost the food scraps. The napkins are part recycled paper, the coffee is sourced ethically, and their cleaning products are all biodegradable chemicals that aren't harmful to the environment. Gold star for effort, team!
Amazing food, fast and friendly service, cold beer, hot sun, and dog friendly - what more could you ask for?! Be sure to keep an eye out for their new summer menu!
Don't miss the opportunity to upload some snaps to Instagram! Tag @beach_babylon and @smackbangstore, and use the hashtag #dogfriendlywellington for the chance to be featured.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | #babylondogs
Dog bless.
A
P.S. Please be responsible dog parent! If your dog can’t handle loud noises, busy crowds or other dogs, please refrain from bringing them with you, or test them out during a quiet period to see how they go before upgrading to full Sunday Brunch status. When taking your dog out this summer remember to be wary of the conditions - make sure they have enough water and shade, check that the footpaths aren’t too hot for them to walk on (if it’s too hot for you it’s too hot for them!), and never leave them in a hot car.