At Okini Restaurant and Bar in Vancouver, co-owners Steph Wan and Kevin Lin craft gorgeous plates of AAA steak served with duck fat potatoes and broccolini, and golden eagle sablefish doused in a fuji apple broth and adorned with zucchini.

But it含羞草研究社檚 the clientele feasting on these meals that make the restaurant stand out. The dishes are meant for dogs and join a milk bone-rimmed 含羞草研究社減awgarita含羞草研究社� and a beef liver-dusted and pepperoni-topped 含羞草研究社減awtini含羞草研究社� on the small, pet-friendly menu Okini offers.

含羞草研究社淭he reaction has been crazy; like more than I anticipated,含羞草研究社� Wan said. 含羞草研究社淓veryone含羞草研究社檚 really excited about it.含羞草研究社�

Okini含羞草研究社檚 efforts to ensure pets that tag along with their owners can fill their bellies too comes as a growing number of restaurants are adding dog-centric dishes to their menus.

Across Canada, there are now wineries selling 含羞草研究社渂arkuterie boards,含羞草研究社� bars with mini picnic tables dogs can use to nibble on treats and dining establishments delivering non-alcoholic beer, cottage pie or peanut butter and ice cream to pups on their 含羞草研究社減awtios.含羞草研究社�

Even big chains are in on the trend with A&W Canada offering $2 grass-fed beef patties for dogs last month and Shake Shack Canada selling vanilla custard laden with Wufers biscuits. Starbucks has similarly been known to dole out cups of whipped cream some dub 含羞草研究社減uppuccinos含羞草研究社� or 含羞草研究社減up cups.含羞草研究社�

Matt Davis, the director of reservation company OpenTable含羞草研究社檚 Canadian business, suspects the increase in restaurants catering to dogs stems from a boom in pet ownership that shows no signs of slowing.

The Canadian dog population rose by 200,000 to 7.9 million between 2020 and 2022, the Canadian Animal Health Institute has said.

含羞草研究社淭here seemingly (are) pets everywhere,含羞草研究社� Davis said, noting that pups are plentiful when he含羞草研究社檚 out in Vancouver or visiting Toronto.

含羞草研究社淧eople are becoming more attached to them and they just like to be with them more frequently.含羞草研究社�

A May survey OpenTable commissioned of 1,000 dog owners in Canada found more than one-third dine out with their pets and 46 per cent take part on a weekly basis.

At Lobster Burger Bar in Toronto, not a day goes by without someone ordering from the 含羞草研究社減aws to claws含羞草研究社� menu, said Christopher Chan, the restaurant含羞草研究社檚 director of operations.

含羞草研究社淲e give the dogs little tables they can eat at, but I含羞草研究社檇 say half the owners like to pick them up and like them to eat at their table,含羞草研究社� he said.

While many need no excuse to bring Fido along for $11 cups of Thanksgiving turkey, zesty rosemary chicken or salmon meals from Puppy Gang Fresh Foods, Chan has noticed birthdays bring out plenty of dogs.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 probably the No. 1 (occasion they visit for) and if they don含羞草研究社檛 get a seat, they含羞草研究社檙e so upset,含羞草研究社� he said.

Lobster Burger Bar含羞草研究社檚 interest in catering to dog owners stemmed from the restaurant含羞草研究社檚 late owner Marcel Schneebeli, who noticed pet ownership soaring during the pandemic, when many people were home alone and seeking companionship.

Once lockdowns and other health measures lifted, these new pet owners realized there were few restaurants willing to welcome animals.

含羞草研究社淓ven if there was outdoor seating, sometimes dogs weren含羞草研究社檛 allowed,含羞草研究社� Okini含羞草研究社檚 Wan recalled. 含羞草研究社淭here were just so many restrictions in my city.含羞草研究社�

OpenTable含羞草研究社檚 research found 62 per cent of dog owners have experienced difficulty finding pet-friendly spots, though it含羞草研究社檚 becoming an easier task in recent years because the pandemic convinced some provinces, including Ontario, to rework laws to allow dogs into some parts of restaurants.

Wan and Lin, who own Boston terrier Tobiko and Pannacotta, a Maltese-Pekingese, were keen to be part of the wave of change.

After rounds of taste testing from their own dogs, they opened their patio to animals in late May and quickly found a canine customer base.

But it含羞草研究社檚 unclear how long the demand for such offerings will remain.

A recent survey of 300 Canadians from financial services firm Stifel found 41 per cent of respondents planned to decrease their spending on pet food and accessories over the next 12 months. Almost 60 per cent, however, expected to increase spending in these areas.

Davis predicted there含羞草研究社檚 no end in sight for the dog-friendly menu. In fact, what restaurants like Okini are doing is just the beginning, he said.

含羞草研究社淵ou go into a grocery store in Los Angeles and there are dogs just everywhere, as if they were just part of the normal consumer that would be in a grocery store,含羞草研究社� Davis said.

含羞草研究社淪o in my mind, I think this is only going to increase.含羞草研究社�

READ ALSO:

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press