Hout Bay restaurant Dario’s Café ends dog-friendly policy

Posted on 9 March 2026 By Miriam Kimvangu

A well-known eatery in Hout Bay has announced it will no longer allow dogs inside its premises following what it describes as a serious incident that raised safety concerns for customers and staff.

Dario’s Café shared the update with patrons in a message posted on its Facebook page, explaining that the decision was made after careful consideration and out of concern for the wellbeing of visitors to the establishment.

The restaurant, a popular stop for locals and visitors in the coastal suburb, confirmed that dogs of any breed or size will no longer be permitted inside the café.

In its public message, the restaurant said the change comes in response to a ‘very serious incident,’ though specific details about what happened were not disclosed.

‘Unfortunately due to a very serious incident we can no longer allow dogs of any breed or size into our establishment,’ the restaurant said in the Facebook announcement.

The statement continued: ‘We can not risk any of our patrons, staff or children that frequent our shop getting hurt or bitten.’

The café noted that allowing some dogs while turning others away could create confusion and further risk.

‘At the same time we can’t allow some dogs and others not. So it will have to be completely across the board,’ the restaurant wrote.

The statement also pointed to liability concerns as a key factor behind the decision.

‘We can’t risk the liability and thats how it has to be.’

The café also acknowledged that its decision may divide opinion among customers.

‘I know many will agree and many will disagree and judge us but we have no choice,’ the statement added.

Article shared by Cape ETC

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