Everywhere you look, more and more folks are taking their canine companions with them, whether it’s to the grocery store, the local Home Depot or even the mall. And, as animal lovers, that’s fine with us – Los Angeles, in fact, may very well be the country’s mecca for dog lovers, thanks to the plethora of warm weather days and ample open spaces. Couple that with the abundance of patios throughout the city, and you can easily see why dog owners in SoCal are always bringing their furry friends along for a meal or water cocktail. 

From dog-friendly hotspots that offer “doggie bandanas” to places within walking distance of pet-approved beaches, the following represent our picks for Woodland Hills parks and cafes where pups and humans alike are equally welcome. 

Leo & Lily, located at 22420 Ventura Boulevard, was established in 2011 with the goal to provide patrons with a gourmet dining experience in a casual and inviting environment – and we think they’ve achieved that. Fusing European and Mediterranean flavors to create healthy, unique and delicious dishes, Leo & Lily chefs use only the finest ingredients, with everything made fresh from scratch. But what earns the café a spot on our list is the fact that all of the patios here are pet-friendly – and the staff loves it when you bring your best friends to brunch. Open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 3 pm and Saturday/Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm.

Eureka!, located at 6250 Topanga Canyon Boulevard at The Village at Westfield Topanga, specializes in  American classics, gourmet burgers and an expansive selection of craft beers on tap – and even small-batch whiskeys. If you’re looking for a place serving all-American food with the best craft beer selection and most unique whiskey bar in the Valley, you need go no further than Eureka! – and making the experience even better is the fact you can bring your furry bestie for al fresco dining. Open from Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 12 am and Sunday from 11 am to 11 pm. 

Gasolina Café, located at 21150 Ventura Boulevard, was established in 2015 when Chef Sandra Cordero brought Spanish-influenced food to the table in an entirely new way – seasonally-driven, sustainably-raised and grown and locally-sourced. Gasolina supports local farms and sustainability, operating a “from-scratch” kitchen where everything is made in-house and to order. When the weather is nice, the café also welcomes pets at outdoor tables, making it quite the suitable entry on our list. Open daily from 8 am to 3 pm. 

Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park, situated at 17024 Mullholland Drive in Los Angeles, sits deep in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains and provides more than 1,500 acres of open space bordered by upper Mandeville Canyon, Sullivan Canyon, Mission Canyon and San Vicente Mountain Park. The Westridge fire road provides trail access for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians along the north-south ridgeline and is contiguous with the 20,000-acre urban wilderness park known as the “Big Wild.” But here’s the reason we included this park on our list: your pup is welcome to join you while hiking the trails. To put it bluntly, Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park is extremely dog-friendly, and you’ll regularly see a lot of families with canines all the time. 

Laurel Canyon Dog Park, located at 8260 Mullholland Drive in Los Angeles, is open each day sunrise to  sunset and is considered a pup recreation area where Fido can play off-leash with his pet companions. This large fenced-in park features separate sections for small and large dogs, benches, a pergola and picnic tables, and there’s lots of space and tennis balls to keep the patrons entertained. There are also shaded areas to sit and watch your pups play, as well as seating in the sun so you can tan at the same time. Laurel Canyon is a fun park with lots of great dogs…won’t you join them?

From off-leash parks to spectacular dog-friendly hikes and animal-welcoming cafes, there are a plethora of spots in Woodland Hills that you can enjoy with your canine companion.