Dog Friendly Inverness: Restaurants, Pubs, Walks and Hotels Where Dogs Are Welcome

Inverness is a compact city built along a fast river, and for most people travelling with a dog it is a stopover: the first or last night of the North Coast 500, or a base for a few days in the Highlands. It is a good one. The centre is small enough to cover on foot, the river walk starts a few minutes from the shops, and there are more places to eat with a dog beside you than anywhere else until Ullapool.

Everything below was checked in September 2026 against the venue's own policy or recent visitor reports. It is a short list of places we are confident about, not every door in the city that might let a dog in.

Dog friendly restaurants and pubs in Inverness

• Scotch & Rye, Queensgate. American style comfort food and cocktails in a city centre bar where your dog can sit with you for a full meal. All well behaved dogs are welcome and there is a small menu for them. Book at weekends.
• Black Isle Bar, Church Street. The Black Isle Brewery's bar, with 26 taps and wood-fired pizza. The brewery says dogs are welcome at the bar. Open daily from noon, with the kitchen closing at 9pm.
• MacGregor's Bar, Academy Street. Known for traditional music sessions, with dogs welcome for a pint and food. Live music can be loud for nervous dogs, so arrive early for a quieter corner.
• Heathmount Hotel. A short walk from the centre. Dogs are welcome in the lounge, the bar and on the heated terrace. Mention your dog when you book.

Dog friendly cafés and quick lunches

• Victorian Market, Academy Street. A covered Victorian arcade beside the station, with a food hall of independent stalls. Dogs are welcome in the market and food hall, though individual stalls can set their own rules. It is busy at lunchtime, and a dry option on a wet day.

Dog walks in Inverness

• Ness Islands and the River Ness. A tree-lined walk along the river to a string of wooded islands linked by footbridges, a few minutes from the city centre. It is open public green space, so dogs are welcome under close control. The river runs fast: keep dogs out of the water.
• Reelig Glen, near Kirkhill. An easy, shady loop of about two miles through some of the tallest trees in Britain, west of the city. Soft paths and a burn make it a good one for older dogs. Check for ticks afterwards.
• Culloden Battlefield. The moorland site of the 1746 battle, just east of Inverness. Dogs are welcome on the battlefield under close control, and in the visitor centre shop and café. Livestock graze the site, so give the animals space.
• Fort George, Ardersier. An 18th century artillery fort whose ramparts make a long, level walk with views across the firth. Dogs on leads are welcome around the fort, and the coffee shop has outdoor seating. Entry is paid.

Things to do in Inverness with a dog

Look for dolphins from the water. The Dolphin Spirit catamaran sails from Inverness Marina from mid March to the end of October, and dogs are welcome aboard. Bring a lead and think about a dog life jacket. Boat noise and crowds can unsettle anxious dogs.

Go to the beach. The nearest good sand is on the Black Isle, about half an hour's drive over the Kessock Bridge. Rosemarkie Beach and Fortrose Beach sit either side of Chanonry Point, where dolphins come close to the shore on a rising tide. Dogs are welcome on both beaches all year. At the point itself, keep dogs out of the water: the currents are dangerous.

For more sand, see dog friendly beaches on the NC500.

Dog friendly hotels in Inverness

Two of the places above have rooms that take dogs:

• Heathmount Hotel. Rooms are dog friendly, and you can eat with your dog in the bar, lounge or terrace downstairs.
• Black Isle Bar and Rooms. Dogs can stay in the rooms above the bar for a £10 fee.

Both are small, so book well ahead in summer and tell them about your dog when you do.

If you would rather have a cottage with a garden, the nearest we list are on the Black Isle and in Easter Ross, within an hour of the city.

See where to stay on the NC500 with a dog for cottages and rooms further round the route.

Practical advice

• Stock up here. Inverness has the widest choice of supermarkets, pet shops and fuel on the whole North Coast 500, and usually the cheapest fuel.
• Save a vet's number. The city has several practices and an out-of-hours emergency service. Practices get much thinner on the ground on the north and west coasts.
• Leads in the centre. The streets round the station and the market are busy with traffic.

Driving the route from here? Our NC500 7-day itinerary with a dog starts and finishes in Inverness.

Final thoughts

Inverness suits a night or two with a dog, not a week. You can eat well with your dog under the table, walk the river before breakfast and be on a beach or a boat within half an hour. Treat it as the place to rest, restock and get organised before the roads get smaller and the menus get shorter.