CAMRA’s own database gives us solid, verified pub coverage across Lincolnshire’s towns, with the odd closure to exclude along the way. Cafés and restaurants are a much thinner picture here, as in most counties — except for two genuine, well-sourced exceptions: Lincoln itself, via the official Visit Lincoln tourism board, and Louth, via a detailed local community guide.
Lincoln
- Golden Eagle, 21 High Street — dog friendly.
- Dog & Bone, 10 John Street — dog friendly.
- Birdcage, 54 Baggholme Road — dog friendly.
- Organ Grinder, 4 Eastgate — “dogs are welcome.”
- Adam & Eve Tavern, 25 Lindum Road — dog friendly.
- Gatehouse Inn, 178 Newland Road — dog friendly.
Cafés — confirmed via the official Visit Lincoln tourism board’s own dog-friendly places-to-eat page: The Wig & Mitre, Steep Hill. The Prince of Wales, Bailgate. Bailgate Deli, Cathedral Quarter.
Boston
Eagle, 144 West Street — dog friendly. We couldn’t find a verified dog-friendly café or restaurant in Boston — a genuine gap.
Grantham
Grantham Railway Club, Huntingtower Road — dog friendly. Priory, 159 Dysart Road — dog friendly. No café/restaurant confirmed.
Spalding
Lincoln Arms, 4 Bridge Street — dog friendly. Drayman’s Arms, 44 Little London — dog friendly. Royal Mail Cart, 101 Pinchbeck Road — dog friendly. No café/restaurant confirmed.
Skegness & the Lincolnshire coast
Pubs in Skegness itself: Welcome Inn, Burgh Old Road. Merry Mermaid, 90 Lumley Road. Marine Boathouse, Lumley Road. Churchills Wine & Sports Bar, 29 Algitha Road. Crafty Local Ale House, 7 Lumley Avenue — all dog friendly. Just up the coast at Chapel St Leonards, the Admiral Benbow, The Promenade, goes further than most: “beer and wine for dogs plus healthy treats,” with dogs welcome on leads and blankets provided.
Cafés — confirmed via the official Visit Lincs Coast tourism board’s dog-friendly directory, which explicitly covers this stretch of coast: The Coffee House, Beresford Avenue, Skegness town centre. Seascape Cafe and the North Sea Observatory, both at Chapel Point, Chapel St Leonards. The Vista at the Boatshed, Huttoft.
Stamford
Hurdler, 93 New Cross Street — dog friendly. No café/restaurant confirmed.
Gainsborough
Lincolnshire Otter, Somerby Way — dog friendly. Elm Cottage, 138 Church Street — dog friendly. No café/restaurant confirmed.
Sleaford
White Horse, 45 Boston Road — dog friendly. No café/restaurant confirmed.
Louth
By far the best-sourced town in this batch. Pubs: Woolpack, Riverhead Road. White Horse Inn, Eastgate. Ye Olde Whyte Swanne, Eastgate (a separate venue from the White Horse Inn, despite the similar name). Kings Head Hotel — dog friendly during the day, with outdoor dining. Munyards Brewery & Taproom — dogs on lead welcome. Gas Lamp Lounge — dogs welcome. Archies, Pawnshop Passage.
Louth is the one town with genuinely strong café/bistro coverage, via a detailed local community guide: Wonderland, Edge of Town, Archies Cafe Bar & Bistro, Alfredo Lounge, Tabula Rasa Bistro & Deli, Beaumont’s Delicatessen & Café, Larders Coffee Bar, Millie May’s Tea Room, The Boars Head, The Brown Cow, Woolpack Inn, Cobbles Bar, Ye Olde Whyte Swanne, The Panacea, plus Gardener’s Retreat, Mimi’s Mission Café and Betties of Louth just outside the town itself.
Market Rasen
The weakest-covered town in this batch — no CAMRA dog-friendly tag found on any checked pub, and no café confirmed either.
Horncastle
Kings Head, Bull Ring — dog friendly. Bull Hotel, Bull Ring — dog friendly. Admiral Rodney Hotel, North Street — dog friendly. No café/restaurant confirmed.
Scunthorpe
Black Beauty, Keddington Road — dog friendly. ShadowBridge Brewery Tap & Bottle Shop — “this dog friendly venue.” One name worth flagging rather than recommending: the Doghouse in Brigg sounds like an obvious pick, but its own listing states no dog policy at all — don’t assume from the name.
Grimsby, Cleethorpes & Mablethorpe
Grimsby: Barge, Victoria Street — dog friendly. A few villages just outside Grimsby itself are worth knowing about if you’re in the area: the Farmhouse in New Waltham (dogs allowed in the beer garden and bar, with their own dog menu), the Pear Tree in Humberston (a dedicated dog area inside, with treats), and the Crown & Anchor in Tetney Lock.
Cleethorpes: Old Vic, Grant Street — dogs allowed until 7pm (a time-limited condition, not all-day). Willy’s, High Cliff Road — dogs not permitted during food-serving hours. Nottingham House, Seaview Street — dogs in the bar only. Market Tavern and Signal Box Inn — both dog friendly.
Mablethorpe: Number 8, George Street — a child and dog friendly bar. Cafés and restaurants remain a genuine gap in all three of these towns.
Woodhall Spa & Bourne
Woodhall Spa: Mall, Station Road — dog friendly. Bourne: Smith’s (RedCat), North Street — dog friendly; coverage here is thinner since Bourne falls outside the main CAMRA branch areas. No café/restaurant confirmed in either town.
A handful of pubs were excluded after turning up closed: West End Tap and Imp & Angel in Lincoln, Napoleon and Little Peacock Inn in Boston, Playhouse and Ra-Ra in Grantham, Waters Edge in Spalding, St Marys Vaults in Stamford, Luda Brewing Co in Louth, the Oval and Red Lion in Horncastle, and Highfield House, Open Hearth, Riveter and Queens in Scunthorpe.
A busy coastal pub garden full of new smells and other dogs can be a lot for a nervier companion. A calming bite before you set off can help them settle in rather than spend the whole visit on edge. If the anxiety runs deeper than a new environment, that’s a conversation for your vet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Lincolnshire town has the best dog-friendly cafés?
Louth, by a clear margin — a detailed local community guide lists 17 dog-friendly cafés, bistros and tea rooms. Lincoln and the Skegness/Chapel St Leonards coast also have official tourism-board-confirmed lists.
Are dogs allowed all day at the Old Vic in Cleethorpes?
No — its own listing states dogs and children are allowed until 7pm only, not all day.
Is the Doghouse in Brigg actually dog-friendly?
We couldn’t confirm it — its listing states no dog policy despite the name. Phone ahead rather than assume.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who has strong opinions about which pub gardens have the best scraps.
