Customers, Canines to Mingle at NYC’s First Dog Cafe
This is going to be adorable.
Fly_dragonfly
New York City has many things to offer its residents and visitors, but it apparently lacked a dog cafe. Until now.
Boris & Horton, named after the owners’ pet pooches and set to open this month in Manhattan’s East Village, is not the canine equivalent of one of those cat cafe where resident cats roam free. It is rather a dog-friendly cafe, where customers can enjoy both their coffee and some quality time with their own pups – and those accompanying other customers.
Yet that in itself is groundbreaking: The New York City Department of Health approved rules allowing restaurants to let patrons dine with their dogs only last spring. In the months since then, Boris & Horton’s owners have worked closely with the Health Department to make sure the new space hews to the new regulations — the dog-mingling area and the food-ordering area are separate, but connected — becoming the first Health Department-approved dog-friendly cafe in NYC.
Customers can sip their coffee and enjoy a pastry or food off the café’s all-vegetarian menu. In the evenings, they drink beer, wine and snacks. On weekends, they may attend adoption events for dogs in need of homes. While there, they can treat their pups to fancy biscuits or purchase doggie bandannas and leashes or dog-emblazoned gifts at the gift shop.
Plus, patrons and their pups can pop into a “dog photo booth,” co-owner Logan Mikhly told AMNY.com. It will feature a collection of outfits to dress up in “so guests can get some great shots alongside their dogs.”
Still, the sense fun doesn’t mean anything goes. The coffee shop requests that all visiting dogs are “dog-friendly” and kept on a leash by their owners. The owners have also published a list of “house rules” on the café’s website. Among them: “Good vibes only: Dogs must enter the store in a calm and orderly manner,” “Crowd control: No more than 2 dogs per person” and “Keep it classy: Humping and mounting is discouraged.”
The rules also stipulate “No stray kids: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.” Leashes probably not necessary for the kiddos, but surely a calm and orderly manner would be appreciated.
Photo: iStock
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