After some last minute health inspection delays, it's go-time for Hayes Valley cat café KitTea. As of Wednesday, June 24, San Francisco cat-lovers will have access to the city's first cat café, which will offer the companionship of adoptable feline friends in one room and a small café in the other.
Co-founders Courtney Hatt and Lisa Tsubouchi designed the space to give humans a place to chill out with cats, and possibly adopt them through a partnership with local nonprofit Give Me Shelter. The café, which allows human guests only, offers a selection of baked treats from Native Baking, doughnuts from Dynamo Doughnuts and cheesecake from San Francisco Cheesecake. And in an homage to the cat café's Japanese origins, the menu includes a selection of Japanese teas hand selected by Oli Oldaker, a tea expert. In the adjoining cat lounge, humans are welcome to take along their tea to socialize with a bevy of friendly kitties who can come and go at their leisure— to ensure the cats' peace of mind, there is a cats-only area in the back, where the animals can take a break from human interaction.
UPDATE: The café's online reservation system is now up and running. Now guests can make a reservation for one hour of bottomless hot tea and as many pets as possible. Hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Tuesday-Sunday and 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Mondays.
