Varsity Nedlands

Varsity Nedlands is an American-style sports bar and burger joint at 91-93 Hampden Road, Crawley, on the UWA side of the river, and the outdoor alfresco area is open to leashed dogs. It is a big, buzzy room, screens on the walls, pool tables and an arcade out the back, which makes it the game-day pub for west Perth dog owners who do not want to leave the dog at home.

The dog setup

Dogs are permitted in the outdoor alfresco seating only, on a leash and settled beside your table; indoors is dining-only and off limits. The alfresco runs along Hampden Road, so a settled dog well under the table matters when the footpath traffic picks up. Carry a portable water bowl rather than counting on the venue, and check the forecast before you commit, because alfresco-only means there is no ducking inside if the weather turns.

The food and the draw

The kitchen is built around burgers, loaded fries and wings, with the Cheeseburger Deluxe the signature order, and happy hour deals through the week. Quiz nights and big-game screenings pull the biggest crowds, and those are the nights the alfresco fills fast, so arrive early if you want space to spread a lead out. Hours run from 11am daily, closing around 10 to 10:30pm.

Getting there and parking

Street parking along Hampden Road is metered and closely patrolled, so read the signs; the quieter side streets nearby sometimes have a spot within a short walk. By public transport it sits on the bus corridors serving UWA and the wider western suburbs, which makes it an easy stop on a longer walk.

Close by with the dogs

The Matilda Bay foreshore is a few minutes away for a scenic on-lead river walk before or after, with city-skyline views the whole way. For an off-lead run first, Carrington Park fenced dog park in Nedlands has a double-gated agility enclosure. Down on the water at Matilda Bay, Bayside Kitchen is the other dog-friendly table in the suburb.

More around the suburb is on the Crawley destination page, and the wider list is in the WA pubs index.