Gone are the days when dog owners dining out had to ask for a doggy bag at the end of a meal. At Sir Terence Conran’s Bluebird Caf‚ on Kings Road, Chelsea, pampered pets are now welcome to join their owners while they dine al fresco.
Noticing the high number of owners who brought their dogs along to the restaurant and ordered them food from the a la carte menu, the Bluebird Caf‚ management decided to introduce a dedicated menu for their canine guests, who are invited to “dine” outside in the courtyard.
It soon became clear, however, that owners preferred sticking to traditional fare, rather than ordering from the new “Top Dogs” menu, which included lamb steak with mash, side orders of chips and drinks such as “Hair of the Dog” (Guinness and milk). The Bluebird Caf‚ has therefore reverted back to offering dogs the same a la carte menu enjoyed by their owners.
Maria Balfour, PR and events manager at Bluebird Caf‚, said: “It’s the Bluebird culture to welcome everyone, including dogs. There are very few places you can take your dog with you in London and, although the “Top Dogs” menu has gone, the Bluebird Caf‚ is still very much an open restaurant for them. They still have their special bowls to eat from.”
But badly behaved dogs beware, for the clause at the top of the a la carte menu – “any dog seen to be making a mess or fighting with its neighbour will be asked to leave the premises” – is still in place.
