In the past, pet parents have often found it difficult to take their dogs or cats along with them to restaurants and cafes. However, that is changing with the introduction of pet-friendly and animal-themed cafes. Many of these specialised eateries have gone above and beyond to cater to your fur baby’s needs, including special menus you can order food for your pet from, animal-friendly decor and layout, and some even come with paddling pools and grooming centres to pamper your pet. And if you are feeling stressed and worn out, you can even visit a growing number of animal cafes, which house adorable pet animals that you can hang out with to forget your worries.
Here are some pet-friendly eateries and animal cafes located in Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru.
Walls lined with quirky photos, a counter where you can take polaroid pictures of your pet, a pocket-friendly menu for animals and humans alike, and a chance to be greeted by over 10 inhouse pets–The Pet Cafe at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad is a pet parent’s paradise. Founded and run by Deven Baheti and Sonam Singh, who are also actively involved in animal rescue operations in the city, they started the space to provide shelter to rescue animals and operate as a pet-friendly cafe. Once the medical needs of the rescued animals are taken care of and they recuperate, the animals are put up for adoption.
“Seventy-four adoptions have taken place so far. We are housing 24 rescued dogs at the moment,” Deven tells TNM. Your pet could very well be taking you along to this café, as the menu carries a side note saying the place is human-friendly too. “A day without animal hair, cold noses, wet kisses, wagging tails is a day not lived,” one of the framed photos at the venue fittingly reads.
The space also has a pet boarding centre and daycare centre for pet parents who’d like their dogs to be taken care of while they are at work or on holiday. Previously, the space was even used to host exclusive movie nights called ‘pupflix and chill’, but they’ve had to cut down on some of the services due to the pandemic. “We’ve had to make a few changes because of the pandemic. Earlier, customers could walk in with their pets any time they wanted to but at the moment, they are required to make prior reservations,” he adds.
Deven and Sonam currently offer two packages for customers- one that is priced at Rs 500 per person, excluding food, where the guest will be permitted to socialise and play with the animals for an hour or so, while the package that includes food is priced at Rs 750 per person.
If cozy snuggles with dogs, cheerful barks and playing with adorable cats sounds like a fun way to de-stress, Chennai’s Twisty Tails is the purr-fect hangout spot for you. Claimed to be Chennai’s first dog-themed and south India’s first cat-themed cafe, Twisty Tails houses a dog and cat section for visitors to come and play with the animals. Upon paying the cover charge of Rs 200 per person (which can be redeemed at the restaurant), guests will be allowed to play with the dogs and cats for around forty minutes after which they can head to the multicuisine restaurant for a meal.
Founded by Rekha D, Vikram G and Aswin Siddarth, the cafe can also be used as a party venue by guests. The cafe is popular among Chennai’s pet-lovers for its vibrant animal-themed decor. Located in Nungambakkam, the restaurant is open from 12.00 pm to 10:00 pm. The dog cafe is open from 12:30pm to 3:30 pm, 5:30 to 7:30 pm and 8:00 to 10:00 pm while the cat section is open from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm and 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. It is to be noted that Twisty Tails does not permit customers to bring in their pets.
“Being part of the IT industry and an ardent dog-lover, I was looking for places where I could play with dogs. I was not in a position to adopt and couldn’t find animal cafes either. The idea of starting a dog café struck at that point,” Ankur Jain, founder of TherPUP states while explaining how the idea of starting a dog-themed café took shape. TherPUP is co-founded by Anirudh Vidyasagar, a certified dog behaviour expert
Located in the heart of Whitefield, TherPUP serves as a dog-themed and pet-friendly café that has scrumptious treats in store for both animal lovers and dogs. Visitors are usually welcomed by TherPUP’s happy and friendly in-house puppies and dogs. Spread over 1.5 acres of land, the venue boasts of a vast play area for dogs and visitors’ pets, outdoor seating and a swimming pool, among other features. The cafe is the perfect place to visit for a breath of fresh air and to spend time with pets.
“We also have pet boarding services for dogs to stay overnight, as well as grooming services. Pet parents treat their pets like their own kids. TherPUP aims to provide comfortable and premium services for their pets too,” Ankur shares.
Visitors will have to pay a cover charge of Rs 250 per person, while the additional costs will depend on the services they avail. Except for group bookings, guests can walk in anytime between 11.30 am to 9.00 pm. As one of TherPUP’s Instagram posts states, animal lovers can “unleash the pawsomeness” at the cafe.
Located amid lush green trees and spread over 22,000 sq ft in Bengaluru’s Kannuru, Snoopy Paws acts as a perfect getaway for the two-legged and the four-legged alike. From the spirited beagle to the beautiful Siberian Husky, the dog-themed restaurant has over 20 in-house puppies and dogs that visitors can play with.
“I am involved in rescue operations. We have helped a lot of people with dog adoptions. I run Snoopy Paws along with my family members Gracey, Linda and Shreya,” founder Lawrence M states. Snoopy Paws has a number of amenities such as a swimming pool (which is temporarily closed in view of the coronavirus pandemic), a bonfire corner and a huge play area. It also offers a separate pet-friendly menu. The farmland also has a pet boarding centre.
Although Snoopy Paws charges a cover fee of 150 per person during the weekdays and 200 per person over the weekends, the amount can be redeemed at the cafe. The venue operates between 11.00 am to 8.00 pm on weekdays and from 11.00 am till 9.00 pm on weekends.
If you are a pet parent who is tired of imposing restrictions on your pets and wish they could run free, Ella’s Petscape Cafe in Bengaluru comes to the rescue. From the decor and seating to the play area and the amenities, every part of Ella’s has been carefully designed with the intent to create a stress-free zone for dogs, where they can be free of restrictions, says founder and pet parent Juhi Shah. Noting how several cafes that claim to be pet-friendly permit customers to bring their pets alone but fail to create a comfortable ambiance for animals, Juhi says, “A lot of times, we find someone smoking or playing loud music or having live events in locations that are meant to be pet friendly. Ella’s was designed with the intent to provide a comfortable and cheerful place for dogs.”
From the vibrant yellow and blue colours that have been chosen for the decor to the spacious and wide seating options, Juhi points out how these decisions were taken after careful consideration. “We had to factor in the colour palette dogs can see. Similarly, the decision to have a wide and spacious seating arrangement was made after considering how pet parents always have to find another seat away from others at cafés and restaurants.,” Juhi explains.
Ella’s (named after one of Juhi’s pets) boasts of other amenities such as a lavish play area, pet store, grooming parlour, and swimming pool. While the venue still has snacking options available for dogs, the café has been temporarily closed due to the pandemic.
Although the team is still taking party reservations, Juhi points out that the demand for party orders has been minimal following the coronavirus outbreak. Located in Sarjapur Road, Bengaluru, Ella’s is open from 10.30 am to 10.00 pm. Ella’s Petscape cafe is free of cover/ entry charge. Guests will be charged for the services they avail.