Gone to the dogs: Canine brunch is back at Center City restaurant

BYOD — that's bring your own dog — brunch in support of animal shelter back for the summer

Square 1682 restaurant has brought its dog brunch back for summer Saturdays. Andrew Donnelly came especially for the brunch, served at tables on Sansom and 17th streets.
Kevin C. Shelly/PhillyVoice

It's a dog's life at Square 1682, a restaurant at the corner of Sansom and 17th streets.

That's because their BYOD brunch — that's bring your own dog — is back on for summer Saturdays.

While dogs sitting at the feet of their owners sitting curbside are now part of of Philly dining scene, the dog brunch adds a menu just for dogs by chef Caitlin Mateo.

There are even a few hair-of-the-dog themed cocktails named after popular breeds at the restaurant, which adjoins Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar.

The brunch has partnered with the Morris Animal Refuge at 1242 Lombard Street to raise awareness and money. The shelter gets $1 for every dog meal and drink.

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Dog-lover Tom Chiacchio, who lives around the corner, stopped by with his 21-month-old daughter, Sienna, who eagerly clambered out of her stroller, intent on making friends with Isaiah.

The friendly pug and beagle mix perhaps reminded her of the black Labrador retriever her dad has talked of getting.

"This is fantastic. Anything that exposes more people to animals is good," he said.

Restaurant patron Andrew Donnelly made the trek to Center City just for the dog brunch, something he'd done last year with his pug and beagle mix named Sora.

"Sora is my good friend," he said. "I've had her since she was a puppy."