12 Best Dog Friendly Patios in Indianapolis (2026)

The best dog friendly patios in Indianapolis include Taxman CityWay's huge downtown beer garden, Gather 22's hammock-strung back patio, Canal Bistro's canalside tables in Broad Ripple, Upland's Fountain Square beer garden, and Twenty Tap in SoBro. All twelve picks below welcome leashed dogs at outdoor tables, most with water bowls on request.

Indianapolis is quietly one of the Midwest's easiest cities to eat out with a dog. State food code lets restaurants opt in to allowing dogs in outdoor dining areas, and plenty of Indy spots have gone all-in — think dedicated beer gardens off the Monon Trail, patios with fire pits, and servers who bring the water bowl before your menu. Here are the 12 patios we'd actually drive across town for, sorted by neighborhood so you can plan a proper patio crawl. For the full list of options, browse all dog-friendly restaurants in Indianapolis.

Downtown & Fountain Square Patios

Taxman CityWay — Downtown

Taxman CityWay is the downtown patio to beat. Set in a renovated 1850s livery building next door to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, it claims one of the largest patios in downtown Indy, complete with a stage for live music spring through fall — and the outdoor area is officially dog-friendly. Order a Belgian-inspired saison and a plate of frites while your pup people-watches the pre-game crowd. A 4.6 rating across more than 1,000 reviews says the humans are well taken care of too.

BRU Burger Bar — Mass Ave

BRU Burger Bar at 410 Massachusetts Ave pairs a covered patio with a small park and grass area right next door — clutch for a pre-dinner sniff session or a quick leg stretch between courses. The gourmet burgers and craft beer list have earned a 4.5 rating from over 5,400 reviewers, making it one of the most-reviewed dog-friendly patios in the city. Pet-friendly tables sit under cover, so a surprise sprinkle won't end your night.

Fat Dan's Deli — Downtown

Chicago expats, this one's for you. Fat Dan's Deli dishes Italian beef, Chicago dogs, and hickory-smoked meats from its downtown location at 410 E Michigan St, and dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables. It's open until 10 pm most nights (11 pm Friday and Saturday), so it works for a late patio dinner when other kitchens are winding down. A 4.6 rating across 1,500+ reviews backs up the smoked-brisket hype.

Upland FSQ Brewery — Fountain Square

The beer garden at Upland FSQ Brewery sprawls across the corner of Morris and Prospect, with garage doors that roll up on nice days and a walk-up outdoor bar so you never have to leave your dog to grab round two. Well-behaved pups are welcome throughout the beer garden, and with 22 taps of Upland beer — including their famous sours — plus the Cultural Trail a block away, it's an easy afternoon. Open until 11 pm on weeknights, midnight on weekends.

Fountain Square Brewing Co. — Fountain Square

A short walk away, Fountain Square Brewing is one of the rare Indy taprooms where dogs are welcome inside as well as on the patio. The industrial-style taproom pours a rotating handful of house beers, and the brewery's craft markets sometimes feature locally made dog treats. It's a prime people-watching perch in one of the city's liveliest neighborhoods — and a natural pairing with our roundup of dog-friendly bars and breweries in Indianapolis.

Broad Ripple & SoBro Patios

Twenty Tap — SoBro

Twenty Tap on College Avenue is the neighborhood pub other neighborhood pubs want to be: a rotating local craft lineup, a scratch-made menu (the poutine has a following), and a patio where leashed dogs are welcome at outdoor tables. A 4.7 rating from 1,100+ reviews makes it one of the highest-rated dog-friendly restaurants in the city. Note the Monday hours — it opens at 4 pm to start the week.

Canal Bistro — Broad Ripple

Want a patio with a view? Canal Bistro serves family-owned Mediterranean — gyros, kabobs, and lamb — on a canalside patio in the heart of Broad Ripple Village. Watching ducks drift by the Central Canal while your dog dozes under the table is peak Indy summer. It carries a 4.6 rating across 1,400+ reviews, and weekend brunch starts at 10 am if you want the patio before the crowds.

Fire by the Monon — Broad Ripple

Sitting just off the Broad Ripple trailhead, Fire by the Monon is the natural finish line for a Monon Trail walk. The patio tables fill with post-trail dogs on nice weekends, and the imaginative pub grub — locals rave about the tenderloin — plus craft taps earn it a 4.6 across 1,400+ reviews. Kitchen closes at 8 pm, so make it an early dinner after the afternoon loop.

317 Burger — Broad Ripple

317 Burger on Westfield Boulevard keeps it simple: inventive burgers, poutine, craft beer, and outdoor seating steps from the Monon. It's rated 4.5 across 1,100+ reviews and takes reservations, which is handy on race weekends when Broad Ripple patios overflow. Policies can shift with the seasons, so a quick call ahead is smart if your pup's joining.

Half Liter Brewery, Bar & BBQ — SoBro / Monon Trail

The beer garden at Half Liter sits right off the Monon on Winthrop Avenue, with open picnic-style tables that leave ample room for a sprawled-out dog and live music on weekends. Smoked brisket, addictive mac and cheese, and house pours round out a 4.4-rated package. Between the trail access and the picnic-table spacing, it might be the easiest big-dog patio in the city.

Neighborhood Gems Worth the Drive

Gather 22 — Fall Creek Place

Gather 22, at 22nd and Pennsylvania, has the most personality of any patio on this list: 17 hammock swings, fire pits, string lights, covered seating, and yard games out back. Staff set out water bowls for visiting dogs, and the all-day menu runs from weekend-morning coffee to evening cocktails — it's rated 4.6 across 600+ reviews. Closed Mondays; Saturday and Sunday service starts at 9 am for patio brunch with the pup.

Parkside Public House — Garfield Park

On the south side, Parkside Public House is an art-house gastropub across from Garfield Park with James Beard-recognized chef Abbi Merriss behind the menu — and a patio that regularly makes local dog-friendly lists. Walk the park's sunken gardens first, then settle in for brunch (doors open 9 am on weekends). It's only open Thursday through Sunday, so plan accordingly. Early 4.6 rating from its first 140+ reviews.

Know Before You Go: Indiana Patio Rules & Etiquette

Indiana law allows restaurants to welcome dogs in outdoor dining areas — it's the restaurant's call, not a blanket right. Indoors is generally off-limits anywhere food is served, with rare exceptions like taprooms that don't prep food. A few ground rules keep Indy's patios dog-friendly:

• Call ahead in shoulder season. Most patios run April through October; heaters extend a few into November, but policies and patio hours shift.
• Keep the leash short and the dog on the ground. Health-code norms mean no dogs on chairs or laps at the table, and definitely no sampling from your plate.
• Exercise first. A dog that's already had a Monon walk settles at a patio table far better than one who just left the crate.
• Mind July and August. Indy summers are humid; pick shaded or covered patios (BRU, Gather 22) and ask for water early.
• Tip like a regular. Servers stepping over your sprawled-out lab deserve it — and it keeps the welcome mat out for the next dog.

Make a Day of It

A patio dinner is a great anchor for a full dog-friendly Indy day. Start with a morning stop from our guide to dog-friendly coffee shops in Indianapolis, burn energy at one of the city's dog parks, and if you're visiting from out of town, book one of the best dog-friendly hotels in Indianapolis so nobody has to stay home. Feeling ambitious? Our dog-friendly road trips from Indianapolis guide maps out where to point the car next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are dogs allowed on restaurant patios in Indianapolis?

Yes — Indiana allows restaurants to permit dogs in outdoor dining areas at their discretion. All 12 spots in this guide welcome leashed, well-behaved dogs at outdoor tables, but policies can change, so a quick call ahead never hurts, especially in the off-season.

Which Indianapolis patio is best for dogs?

For sheer space, Taxman CityWay's downtown beer garden and Upland FSQ's Fountain Square beer garden are hard to beat. For atmosphere, Gather 22's hammocks and fire pits win, and Canal Bistro's canalside tables take the scenery prize. Trail dogs will vote for Half Liter or Fire by the Monon, both right off the Monon.

Can my dog go inside breweries or restaurants in Indianapolis?

Usually not — Indiana health code keeps dogs out of indoor areas where food is prepared or served. A few taproom-style spots, like Fountain Square Brewing, allow dogs inside because of how they operate. When in doubt, assume patio-only and call ahead.

Do Indianapolis patios provide water bowls for dogs?

Many do — Gather 22 sets out water bowls, and most spots on this list will bring one if you ask. Still, pack a collapsible bowl and your own water in summer; Indiana humidity is no joke on a black-furred dog.

Are dog-friendly patios in Indianapolis open year-round?

Most run seasonally from roughly April through October. Covered patios like BRU Burger Bar's stretch the season, and some spots add heaters in fall, but January patio dining is a hard sell in Indiana. Check hours and patio status before a cold-weather visit.

What should I bring to a dog-friendly patio?

A short leash (not retractable), a collapsible water bowl, waste bags, a mat or towel for under the table, and a chew or lick mat to keep your dog settled. Arriving with an exercised dog is the single best patio hack there is.

Grab a Table, Bring the Dog

From downtown beer gardens to canalside gyros, Indianapolis has a patio for every dog and every appetite. Work through the list one weekend at a time, and check out every dog-friendly restaurant in Indianapolis for even more options. For fresh dog-friendly patios, parks, and getaways delivered to your inbox, subscribe to the Daily Wag newsletter — your dog will pretend not to care, but you'll both know better.