Dear Darnell's

Dear Darnell's is a fire-and-smoke restaurant set in an old trading post at 3 Redgate Road in Witchcliffe, just off the Bussell Highway a few minutes south of Margaret River. Dogs are welcome in all of the outside areas, and because the alfresco courtyard is enclosed and heated, that is more than a fair-weather promise.

The dog setup

Dogs sit in the outdoor alfresco and verandah seating rather than the indoor dining room. The courtyard is enclosed, and the potbelly stove gets worked through the cooler months, which makes a winter dinner here a realistic option rather than a dare. Book ahead and mention you are bringing a dog, because the outdoor section is popular and fills first on weekends. Water bowls are not something to assume, so pack your own and you are covered.

Worth knowing

The kitchen leans on fire: wood-fired pizzas, fire-cooked dishes like sausages and mash and eggplant parmigiana, plus gnocchi and arancini, matched with an extensive list of local Witchcliffe and Margaret River wines and a serious beer selection. Hours are dinner-focused: the kitchen runs from midday to 9pm on Friday and Saturday, to 8pm on Sunday, and the doors stay shut Monday to Thursday, so plan the dog-friendly visit around a long weekend or a Friday night.

Getting there and parking

The address is 3 Redgate Road, Witchcliffe, a stone's throw from the Bussell Highway through town. Parking is on-street along the main road, so expect a short walk in from wherever you find a spot. Coming from Margaret River it is an easy few minutes south on the highway.

Close by with the dogs

Brookfield Dog Park in Margaret River is an easy drive north for a proper off-lead run before dinner, and Settlers Tavern is another Margaret River standby for a pub meal with the dog in the beer garden.

More options are on the Western Australia dog friendly restaurants guide and the Witchcliffe destination page.

Max: the courtyard goes first on weekends, so book and say you are bringing the dog. That potbelly stove earns its keep in winter.