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By Sharon L. Peters, special for USA TODAY
Alfresco dining is going to the dogs.
From coast to coast, an ever-growing number of eating establishments, many of them high-end, are opening their patios to diners who want to share their eating-out experience with their pets.
“To appreciate food and life is to appreciate animals, too,” says Art Smith, owner/chef of the chic Art and Soul restaurant on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C, which draws scores of Washingtonians to its canine-welcoming patio every week.
Servers offer fresh bowls of water as well as the “puppy patio menu,” which includes a 3-ounce steak ($5) and homemade doggie granola treats ($5).
One reason for his dog-friendly policy is the need “to adjust to changes in society,” says Smith, a judge for TLC’s show BBQ Pitmasters, premiering Aug. 12. But an equal factor is “it’s just who I am,” he adds. Smith has three dogs.
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