Boris & Horton is NYC’s First Dog Cafe, Opening This Month
Dogs were not previously allowed in the city’s eating establishments.
Image: Boris and Horton
Move over cat cafe, because there’s a new top dog in town.
Boris and Horton is a cafe opening this month in the East Village of Manhattan that’s unique in an especially furry way. It’s the first-ever Department of Health-approved dog-friendly cafe, where dog owners can bring their four-legged friends for a night (or afternoon, or morning) out on the town.
No, it’s not the same as the cat cafes that have been popping up around the world lately, where felines roam freely and can be adopted by loving coffee drinkers. Instead, Boris and Horton—named after the owners’ dogs—successfully (and cleverly) works around doggy discrimination laws by being part coffeeshop, part pet shop, with each having its own entrance. According to AM New York, customers pick up their coffee at an exterior window, then bring it into the the pet shop section, where they hang out with their pooch and sip a cup of joe.
For Fido, there will be butcher-made doggie bones from maison de pawZ, while his loving human gets to warm her belly with a hot cup of the shop’s “Boris Blend”—custom-made by local coffee roaster City of Saints. Boris and Horton will also be offering craft beers and a full vegetarian menu, with pastries from local bakeries like Balthazar. Add to that some adorable bandanas and other accessories, and your pup will be the coolest cat on the street. Hey, it’s a figure of speech.
On the weekends, attractions at the shop will include adoption days, where dog-loving coffee drinkers can be matched up with their new best friends. Then, they’ll even be able to make it last forever-ever with a photo in the doggy photo booth.
Neurotic dog owners need not worry; it won’t be a four-legged free-for-all. The shop’s site lays down some guidelines for conduct in the shop, including “No off-leash play,” “Good vibes only” and “Keep it classy”—meaning no humping is allowed.
And if you adore Boris and Horton’s mission but live far away, you can even order from their online shop. Pick up a bundle with coffee mug, beans and a tote bag, and it’s almost like you're there. Dogs not included, of course.
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