We will be blogging on different dog-friendly restaurants in the Mesa, Gilbert, and Chandler area over the next few months, until we have tried all that we think would be a good fit.
The Coffee Shop at Agritopia is a relaxed comfortable atmosphere where locals come and grab a cup of coffee and a very reasonably priced meal. The patio is spacious with a welcoming feeling like you’re visiting your neighbor or best friend. As you approach the restaurant from the back, the sidewalk is lined with trees and is completely shaded in the morning. There were cyclists and joggers stopping in during or after their morning workout. We arrived at 8am on a Saturday and it was already a happening place.
We met Allison with Levi, her 12-year old Lab / Border Collie mix. Allison stops in at The Coffee Shop often. Levi is very familiar with the drill. Mom goes in and gets her coffee. Levi waits patiently outside with his sturdy leash attached to the leg of the table. He’s such a good, mellow boy. Allison brings out a cup of water for him to drink. Other times when she’s at The Coffee Shop with her family, the wait staff will bring water out for Levi. She has always had great experiences with this place being dog-friendly. She said Levi absolutely loves coming here.
You do have to go inside to place your order and pay. You get a number and when your food is ready it is brought to your table by a server. If it’s just you and your dog, and if you can’t take your dog inside, then you can Google the menu, call in a to-go order from the patio, 480-279-3144, and prepay over the phone. Then let one of the servers know that you have a prepaid to-go order and ask them if they would please bring it out to you. To-go orders are set on the coffee bar, which is pretty close to the patio door. It is nice that The Coffee Shop can accommodate single people with their dog too!
Everything on the menu looks pretty amazing! We ordered Mediterranean Scramble and a TCS Waffle with berries and whipped cream. Is it just me, or do the prices on their breakfast menu look too cheap? Maybe that is why this restaurant is such a popular hangout? And the quality of the food was so delicious! The Coffee Shop at Agritopia offers great food, a comfortable patio with morning shade, and super friendly servers. When you are in or near Gilbert, Arizona, you should definitely check out this dog-friendly coffee shop!
Sasha D. Fierce, a Groenendael Belgian Shepherd, a herding breed dog, joined me on this dog-friendly restaurant experience. Sasha is not as trusting of humans as Levi is, the dog who was with Allison. This is only Sasha’s third time at a dog-friendly restaurant. She goes to doggy daycare at Happy Pets Palace 2-3 times a week and is well socialized with other dogs, but not so familiar with meeting people she doesn’t know. When we first arrived, Sasha was quickly approached by a small toddler, maybe 3-years old or younger. Before the small child got to her, Sasha let out a very intimidating bark warning the small child to stop in his tracks. He did. Thankfully. And then the mom came quickly walking a few paces behind her son, to redirect him back to their table.
At dog-friendly restaurants we want to be sure to keep our dogs safe. A dog parent has to be mindful of any outcomes before a situation occurs. If I had seen the small child running toward Sasha I would have managed the situation better by quickly standing between my dog and the child to prevent any unsafe interaction. Most dogs are not comfortable with small children running toward them, which is why small children get bit more often than older kids. Parents would be wise to teach their toddlers to approach slowly and always ask permission before petting a dog.
Rebecca and I sat at a table out of the mainstream path of customers and servers. The server, Joy, was so kind to stop and ask if she could pet Sasha. I gave her some of the treats we brought so she could greet Sasha with a welcome token of Instinct Rawboost Mixers. The treats would help Sasha to see this new human as friendly. Sasha did good for the first few pets, but then the treats ran out. Joy reached behind Sasha’s ears, leaning in closer, and Joy bared her teeth, meaning she smiled.
Sasha D. Fierce went in to fear mode again seeing this circumstance as confrontational and too close to her proximity. Sasha did her scary bark which got all of us to stand up quickly. Sasha is certainly not the type of dog to bring out in public if you are not an experienced dog handler. It was great exposure for Sasha to be in the busy, but not crowded, patio environment; but her limits were pushed two times during the 45-minutes that we were there. I rushed her and thought she could handle more than she could. I am sure that is a common mistake made by pet parents wanting to take their dogs with them. Sasha is very new to unfamiliar people and still suspects stranger-danger. So, we have to take baby steps and proceed with caution for Sasha’s comfort and tolerance.
If you have a nervous or inexperienced dog, please proceed with caution. Let your dog set the pace and respect the safe distance your dog requires. Your dog may bite out of fear of being put in a situation that is uncomfortable for them. So, protect your dog and do research beforehand on how to help set your dog up for success with new experiences, especially involving unfamiliar people or young children. This article from The Whole Dog Journal, “Help Your Shy Dog Gain Confidence” offers great advice on how you can work with your dog to be more accepting of strangers.
As with all our pet-dining experiences we comment on the bathrooms because you might need to use one. There are indoor bathrooms at The Coffee Shop. But, we love the nearby outside bathrooms on this property. So, if it’s just you and your dog, then best to stroll over to the outside dog-friendly restrooms near the other restaurant, Joe’s Farm Grill. It’s a peaceful stroll. You and your dog will enjoy it.
Note: We are encouraging taking regular non-service dogs to patio dine at dog-friendly restaurants because it can be a nice social experience. The blogs about our dog-friendly restaurant visits are not about service dogs. We respect the training service dogs have gone through to provide a valuable and necessary service(s) to their human.