Cuppa Cuddles: The UK’s Best Pet Cafes
This post is part of our archived content. While we’ve shifted focus, it still may be useful.
Pet cafes seem to be popping up all over London and beyond.
Maybe you’re seeking a cat cafe, where you can snuggle up to some of the UK’s luckiest rescue felines.
If you’re looking for a stop where you can grab a drink while you play with puppies, pet cafes have hit a niche that is gaining in popularity.
Here are our favourite pet cafes; the best places to visit to get your coffee and cuddle fix in one go.
105 Great Portland Street
Marylebone
London
W1W 6QF
The venue entices cat lovers with its winning formula of food and feline ‘therapy,’ something the owners say is needed more than ever.
Java Whiskers will foster a maximum of nine kitties at any one time from The Scratching Post Cat Rescue shelter, in Waltham Abbey, until suitable new forever homes can be found among its customers.
Customers of Java Whiskers must book a time slot ahead of their visit.
The café design includes elevated shelves and walkways as well as plenty of ‘escape spaces’ for the animals.
The cats’ welfare is paramount with a set of important guest rules, including:
- no running
- keeping noise to a low level
- no picking up the resident kitties
- no feeding them
- no waking them when they’re asleep.
Children under 6 will not be permitted at this London cat cafe and it’s strictly shoes off and hands washed upon entering.
In December 2022 they opened a new venue in Westfield London.
Bigger than the original venue it has an outdoor seating area with big windows allowing a sneak peek at the cats before your relaxing and wonderful moment together with the cats and a delicious cup of coffee or tea.
The café, the Cat Lounge and the Kitten Lounge all have full wheelchair accessibility.
5 Ability Plaza | Arbutus Street | London | E8 4DT
Want to play with puppies in London?
Cuppapug is home to five resident pugs and you’re free to tussle with them in the ball pit and feed them yummy treats.
Or simply pet them as you enjoy the in-house food and drink.
Cuppapug has partnered with the National Pug Protection Trust and will have pugs in the cafe that are looking for their forever home.
If you really love pugs, why not have your next birthday party here?
152-154 Bethnal Green Rd
London
E2 6DG
Since its establishment in 2014, Lady Dinah’s is one of the longest-running cat cafe in the UK.
Offering coffee, tea, sandwiches, and pastries as well as an afternoon tea service, Lady Dinah’s menu is as appealing as its inhabitants.
Housing over 15 cats at any given time, the cats at Lady Dinah’s have their every need met.
Offering cosy beds and high perches, exercise wheels, and soothing fairy lights, any cat would be thrilled to find its new home here.
Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium takes the health and comfort of its furry stars seriously and abides by definite rules.
Sadly, Lady Dinah’s won’t be hosting any playdates soon: no groups larger than six, no picking up, holding, or waking the cats, and lastly no children under the age of 12.
A visit to Lady Dinah’s is £15 for 90 minutes with the cats, which does not include food and drink.
593 Holloway Rd
Archway
London
N19 4DJ
Whiskers and Cream is a slightly newer cat cafe in London.
Since its opening in early 2019, the cafe has served an upmarket tea and light bite menu, catering to various food sensitivities and preferences.
Housing nine sweet and cuddly felines, who all arrived under a variety of circumstances, the main attractions at Whiskers and Cream are happy to provide entertainment.
The cafe’s cat care coordinator will happily introduce patrons to each member of their kitty crew, sharing their stories and personality quirks.
Whiskers and Cream’s top priority is the health and safety of their furry stars, so they ask patrons not to disturb sleeping cats, to not climb on furniture, to protect their food and drink from curious noses.
Advanced bookings are recommended
Parties larger than four people or containing children under 11 years old will need to schedule their visit by phone.
A 90-minute visit to Whiskers and Cream is £10 and includes a premium hot or cold drink.
If you’re looking for a good dog café in London, we recommend the following:
179 Westbourne Grove
London
W11 2SB
Verve London is a puppy cafe, boutique, grooming parlour and doggy hotel in Notting Hill.
Want to throw your pet a party?
You can do that here.
There are few places in London that cater to your dog’s wants and needs like Verve.
A must-visit for dog lovers.
41 High Street
Hampton Hill
TW12 1NB
Paws for Coffee claims to be more than just dog-friendly.
They are a dog petting cafe – so much so that they have a menu for humans and a menu just for dogs.
We suggest ‘Things on Toast’ for you and a ‘Puppuccino’ – a big bowl of goat milk with chunks of black pudding – for your four-legged friend.
The team behind Pug Cafe create pop-up events for Pugs and Pug lovers.
They transform ordinary coffee shops and cafes into Pug Cafes for the day so Pugs, Dachshunds, French Bulldogs and Pomeranians and their owners can enjoy a cafe experience together.
Pug Cafe is not a petting café though.
It’s a space for dogs to make friends, play and run around.
Pug Café tours the UK with one-off events like Dachshund Doggie Disco, Cockapoo Café and Frenchie Café.
Check their website for events near you.
If you’re looking for a doggy cafe in London, try Pawsitive.
52 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 5SH
Pawsitive is a playful and fun foodie spot for dogs and their owners.
The London dog cafe hosts a delicious human brunch menu with a fusion of traditional Malaysian dishes and reimagined brunch classics as well as a dedicated doggy dining menu.
Pawsitive’s human food menu features dishes such as Katsu Chicken Club Sandwich, Apam Balik and Creamcheese Fluffy Pancakes and their dog menu includes Puppacinos, Chicken Pot Pie and Pupcakes. They also offer an impressive mocktail menu.
Pre or post brunch, humans can get stuck into seasonal DIY activities such as painting by numbers and dried flower pressing which are available to order to your table.
Pups also have plenty of activities on offer with the café hosting its own doggy swing, ball pit and custom-built play area.
As seen on Dragon’s Den, Pop+Bark host doggy cafe pop-ups UK-wide.
Visit their site to see if and when they’re coming to you.
Mr + Mrs Small (temporarily closed)
31 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 9TT
Visit Mr & Mrs Small for a dog friendly café and accessories, family-style doggy daycare and a grooming salon.
22 Denmark Street
Bristol
BS1 5DQ
Cats seem to provide the ultimate inspiration in letting go of your stress at You and Meow.
The first cat cafe in Bristol is modelled after a peaceful zen garden and offers coffees (including meowchas and capawccinos), teas, smoothies and a variety of cakes.
Once patrons pick the appropriate tea for aligning their chakras, they can cuddle up with one of the cafe’s zen masters, a collection of 22 gorgeous felines who were made for this job.
Those who are looking for more than tea and cuddles can book their two-hour zen meditation.
They offer a meditation session with the most spiritual cats in Bristol, some extra kitty playtime, plus cake and drink.
With a nod to keeping the zen masters happy, only children over the age of 10 can visit You and Meow.
Parties of more than six will need to contact the cafe directly for bookings.
A 60-minute visit with the cats, ahem…zen masters of You and Meow is £6, and food and drink can be purchased separately.
22 Pudding Chare
Newcastle
NE1 1UE
Dog lovers visiting Newcastle can get their tail wagging fix with a stop at Dog and Scone.
The puppy petting cafe serves as a refuge for workaholics and renters who can’t have a dog of their own.
Offering an extensive menu of drinks, cakes, sandwiches, and wraps, it’s easy to see why the owners advise protecting your meals from opportunistic pups.
Home to eight petite and playful dogs, visitors can expect a delightful array of temperaments, from older, sleepier dogs to naughty and silly puppies.
Dog and Scone’s pups are their top priority, so children under 135cm or 11 years old are not allowed.
Additionally, personal items should be kept out of reach of the more spirited four-legged hosts.
An hour with the pups at Dog and Scone costs £5.20 and includes your first drink.
31-37 Friar Lane
Nottingham
NG1 6DD
8-9 Kirkgate
Leeds
LS1 6BZ
Unit 12 Grand Central Stephenson Place
Birmingham
B2 4BF
The crew at the Kitty Cafe might be onto something, as their locations keep popping up all over the UK.
Full of bright colours, big spaces, and comfy seating, these pet cafés are instantly cosy.
Hungry guests can dine on pizzas, paninis, cakes, or milkshakes, or check out their extensive coffee and tea menu.
The fuzzy friends at Kitty Cafe aren’t just there for the snuggles, as each location is a re-homing and care facility for cats and kittens.
Visitors can add an extra cake to their tab, knowing that it’s helping to care for their purr-fect friends.
As the only cat cafe on our list that is child-friendly, the Kitty Cafe does have tightly-enforced rules around picking up, pulling or poking the cats.
Those unable to follow the rules will be asked to leave.
A one-hour visit is £6 for adults and £4 for children, food and drink are not included.
The Printworks | Manchester | M4 2BS
In partnership with Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home, Hard Rock Cafe Manchester has a new ‘Pet Patio’ area for dogs and their owners.
When any dog owner purchases one main course, their canine companion will be treated to a meal that includes:
- a ‘Puppy Patty’ (a burger patty)
- a ‘Doggie Dessert’ (a dollop of whipped cream)
- a ‘Canine Cocktail’ (a fresh bowl of water) free of charge.
For every dog who visits the Pet Patio this year, the Printworks restaurant will donate £1 to the Manchester and Cheshire Dogs’ Home.
Customers are also encouraged to make a donation when they eat with their furry friend.
Where are your favourite pet cafés in the UK?