[CAT] "NYC's Newest Cat Cafe Has An Outdoor Garden & Will ALSO Serve Alcohol"

[rfmcdonald]

Gothamist's Nell Casey reports on a new cat café planned for New York City.

We can gripe about the proliferation of yogurt shops, juiceries and bank chains but there can never be too many cat cafes. To that end, meet Koneko, another feline-friendly visiting spot slated to open mid-September on Clinton Street, just a quick 12 minute walk from NYC's first cat cafe Meow Parlour. And while both establishments share the same mission—namely to give cuddle-starved New Yorkers a spot to pet a furry friend and felines the chance at a forever home—there are some notable differences that make this new offering more than just a place to make a new BFF.

First and foremost, this will be a real cafe (Meow Parlour doesn't technically sell food on-site), with what founder Benjamin Kalb describes as Japanese bar snacks and pastries; "kind of a little bit izakaya, but not really," he says. "It's kind of my own take on that culture of food in Japan." He certainly knows food; besides trips to the country to experience cat cafes first hand, Kalb also spent time on the line at David Bouley's eponymous eatery in addition to a front of house gig at Momofuku. As required by the DOH, the cafe section will be separate from the "Cattery," but customers can take their meals with them to visit the kitties.

More, including illustrations, at the site.