Four cosy Hackney pubs for a winter evening with your dog

The clocks have gone back, the pavements are damp and your dog has strong opinions about the draughty bench by the door. Good news: Hackney has pubs where dogs are welcome inside, so you can both warm up properly. Here are four we love for cold evenings.

Cosy corners for a slow winter pint

The Scolt Head

If you want a proper neighbourhood pub, start here. The Scolt Head is at 107A Culford Road in De Beauvoir Town, and dogs are welcome throughout the inside, so there's no need to hover by the door. The pub told us so itself. There's an enclosed garden too, handy for a quick sniff about before you settle back in the warm.

Siblings Rich Haines and Rosie Wesemann bought the place together in late 2006, and it's named after a small island just off the North Norfolk coast. It calls itself a pub first and foremost, with food alongside, and swing, sports, jazz and a quiz all feature. It has a pub dog too: Monkey, sadly no longer with us, has been followed by a new little friend called Lexi. Your dog will be in good company.

The events room at the back has a darts board you can use free whenever the room isn't booked, and there's wifi if you fancy a daytime laptop session with a snoozing dog under the table.

Prince Arthur

The Prince Arthur sits on a quiet side street at 49 Brunswick Place, just off Hoxton Square and about 100 yards from Old Street tube. That makes it an easy first stop if you're coming off the Tube with a damp dog. Dogs are welcome indoors, and it made Londonist's list of the best dog-friendly pubs back in November 2015, so this is a long-standing habit.

It's a small neighbourhood pub that puts friendship, the local community and inclusivity at its heart. There are beers, cocktails, wines and spirits, plus more than 50 board games. On a wet evening that's the plan sorted: pick a game, order a drink, let the dog flop.

Upstairs there's an art wall with rotating exhibitions, and a first-floor function room that takes groups of up to 50.

Pubs with a bit more going on

The Lock Inn

Muddy boots, children and dogs are always welcome here, which is exactly what you want to hear after a winter walk. The Lock Inn is at 26 East Bay Lane in Hackney Wick, on the banks of the River Lee Navigation. Dogs are welcome indoors, and there's outdoor seating if you're feeling hardy.

Three brothers and a friend opened it, and they also run Mele e Pere and Gotto Trattoria, which is right next door. It's a proper Hackney Wick neighbourhood pub. The pizza dough is proved for over 48 hours, and the burger patty is a mix of short rib, chuck and brisket. With 17 taps of local brews and lagers there's plenty to choose from while the dog dries off at your feet. You can book a table online, and groups can ask about private hire.

The Marquee Moon

The Marquee Moon is at 48 Stoke Newington Road, from the team behind The Cause and All My Friends. Dogs are welcome indoors, and the venue is accessible.

It describes itself as a restaurant, cocktail and hi-fi bar over two floors. The kitchen does pub classics and sharing plates with a touch of smoke from the grill, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and coeliac options. The drinks lean on independent producers, with beer on tap and natural, organic and biodynamic wines. Downstairs is a cocktail lounge with low wooden ceilings.

One thing to know with a dog: it gets lively from around 8pm to 9pm once the DJs are on, and they play until 3am. On Sundays the DJs start around 2pm, though it's quieter. If your dog prefers calm, go early and have your meal before the volume goes up.

Making the most of a cold night out

A few small habits make winter pub trips easier. Give your dog a good walk first so they're happy to settle. Bring a towel for wet paws and the walk home, because Hackney puddles are deeper than they look, and a small blanket if your dog feels the cold. Ask the bar for a bowl of water once you're in.

Think about timing too. Early evening suits the Marquee Moon best if your dog is nervous of noise. The Scolt Head and the Prince Arthur are made for a long, slow session over darts or a board game, and the Lock Inn is a natural finish to a walk along the Lee, muddy boots and all. Keep the lead short when a room gets busy, so tails and paws stay clear of passing feet.

Want more choice? See every dog-friendly pub in Hackney. Now grab the lead, pick your pub and get cosy.