From popular culture trendsetting Gangnam to buying hotspot Myeongdong to the humanities and leisure haven Hongdae, this fast-paced metropolis ensures you gained’t be bored.
With a lot territory to cowl, sitting down for normal breaks might be obligatory, however why simply choose any previous espresso store when you may take pleasure in your brew within the firm of cats?
The Neighbor’s Cat lately visited all eleven of Seoul’s cat cafes with 5 standing out as among the many finest.
4REST NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT CAFE & SHOWROOM
We discovered this cat cafe fairly accidentally which is a cheerful coincidence as a result of it turned out to be among the best.
I’ve seen quite a lot of cats in my travels. Well over 1000 eventually depend, however these fur infants are among the many most beautiful I’ve ever laid eyes on– and so they understand it!
The cafe is residence to 10 adults and 4 kittens, all Norwegian Forest Cats. I’m an enormous fan of cat cafes that serve rescue cats because the vibe is often candy and heartwarming however this pinnacle of pedigree was really fairly uplifting.
The cafe itself can also be handsome- smooth and spare, however properly complemented by heat wooden and rustic furnishings. The quirky collections featured across the room hold it distinctive and fascinating, as should you might probably be bored on this Mount Olympus of feline gods and goddesses. They flirted and swished round for 2 hours earlier than we lastly dragged ourselves away.
The espresso, served by the pleasant cat-loving proprietor, was one of the best we had in Seoul, and so they additionally serve decadent desserts, so seeing because the cats aren’t the one indulgence right here, go forward and splurge. Once you arrive on this Hongdae neighborhood gem, I predict you may be right here for a lot of hours and want the sustenance.
Complete cafe particulars here.
CAT CAFE ATTIC CAT
Out of all of the cat cafes in Myeongdong, this one might be the most well-liked.
And for good purpose, it does cafe in addition to it does cat.
I like cats and I additionally love espresso. While the candy fur infants ought to at all times come first, I additionally admire an awesome cafe expertise and really feel a cat cafe ought to ship on the naked minimal of what a restaurant is: a snug place for dialog and a cup of espresso.
Cat Attic does simply that. With colourful but cozy nooks and respectable lattes to draw espresso addicts plus a trove of social kitties to fulfill cat lovers, it strikes the proper stability of cat and cafe.
We visited on a busy day in Myeongdong and located it with out difficulty, which was good since most of our cat cafe finding in Seoul proved to be troublesome. What I seen immediately was how a lot the proprietor and her husband know and love these cats. They spent a substantial amount of time providing info on who likes a scratch behind the ears and who likes to hop up in your again. Between delivering drinks, wiping down surfaces and monitoring the wants of people and felines, I used to be impressed at their devotion… and multi-tasking!
Unlike the photographs you may affiliate with an attic, this cafe was shiny, clear and intensely nice with elegant wooden and slate decor, and pops of shade. Most importantly, the kitties appeared wholesome and well-cared for.
When visiting Myeongdong (by way of Metro Euljiro 1/Line 2 or Myeong-dong/Line 4), I extremely suggest popping in to this third ground feline emporium.
PS. The location in Gangnam can also be top-notch!
Complete cafe particulars here.
TABLE A CAT CAFE I
(146 WAUSAN-RO LOCATION)
Could cats and raccoons be the best mixture?
Of the three Table A cafes we visited, this one was far and away one of the best, and whereas the raccoons positively added a sure mystique, they weren’t the primary purpose I appreciated it a lot. Spacious, sunny, clear, nice drinks and filled with mischievous kitties, it is a pleasant cat cafe.
Seoul has a couple of animal cafes (pet, owl and sheep, to call a couple of), however I needed to do a double take after I noticed the image of a raccoon on the door. After we ordered our drinks (two sizzling teas for 10,500 SKW/$9.22 USD), however in any other case no entrance charge), I made my means downstairs the place three raccoons performed on a bigger model of a hamster wheel behind a safe space away from the cats. To make sure, they have been tremendous cute, and whereas it’s an fascinating gimmick, it didn’t look like a cheerful existence for the raccoons, sadly.
Back upstairs, the ambiance was cheerful, with loads of cozy corners and comfy seating that appeal to an honest sit-down enterprise of each locals and vacationers to enhance the brisk take-away service fueling Seoul’s rabid espresso tradition. But the cats are the celebrities right here, a wide range of Bengals, Scottish Folds, Exotics, Persians and Maine Coons that, whereas not excessively affectionate, are fairly sociable. The workers have been pleasant and tea was good high quality.
Located close to Hongik University metro (Line 2), this Table A location is a good place to wile away a summer time afternoon.
Complete cafe particulars here.
CAT PLAYGROUND
The first time we visited, they weren’t open, which is unusual as Google reveals them to open daily.
We returned to this busy Myeongdong location (by way of Metro Euljiro 1/Line 2 or Myeong-dong/Line 4) two days later and found the reason- a significant transforming undertaking.
Cat Playground is investing of their future with a recent, colourful and quirky ambiance. With 30+ lovely cats, starting from Norwegian Forest to American Shorthair to Persian and even a Sphinx, it’s one enjoyable cafe to hang around.
It was on the crowded facet the day we visited, however after being welcomed by the pleasant workers, we managed to snag a desk the place we sipped our iced teas whereas a number of cats got here to research our presence. Most have been extremely social and playful, however a couple of ran to the safety of the off-limits part below building to flee the cuddle seekers.
There are a number of cat cafes to select from on this neighborhood, however I discovered Cat Playground stands out for providing a clear, odor-free ambiance and pleased (albeit some fairly obese) kitties.
Complete cafe particulars here.
Y CAT
Formerly often called Gio, Y Cat Cafe is troublesome to search out, however definitely worth the persistence.
I had seen three variations of the handle together with 12-6 Wausan-ro 21-gil, which is the place we initially set our GPS. It was not the right location, however it did get us shut sufficient to see the signal on Hongik-ro.
Located close to Hapjeong metro (Line 2 & 6) on the third ground, we every paid a 9000 KRW ($7.82) charge, washed our arms and exchanged our sneakers for slippers. Once inside, we ordered a few lattes (included within the entrance charge) from one of many perfunctory, but nice workers, and sat down at one of many many tables across the room. While we sipped our drinks we seen the cafe is extremely spacious and nicely appointed for each people and cats. I significantly loved seeing all of the cardboard cat beds which have been occupied by snoozing kitties, together with two candy grey infants posing as yin and yang.
Speaking of cats, there have been a whopping 37 available, from Somali to Maine Coon to Russian Blue to Exotic to American Shorthair, and I used to be involved it may be too many for the house, however the cats appeared relaxed. We visited shortly after the cafe’s midday opening and whereas most have been sleeping, the cats that have been awake have been extremely friendly- we had two cuties on our laps inside minutes- and the remainder posed for photos like seasoned fashions.
We had the place to ourselves for many of the hour we spent there, solely having to share the kitties with a two younger faculty college students and a French couple.
My solely nitpick is that whereas the workers work exhausting to maintain the cafe clear, there’s a trace of urine odor, however general, Y Cat Cafe has a enjoyable ambiance and a great deal of furry felines to make sure a cheerful go to.
Complete cafe particulars here.
The Neighbor’s Cat is the alter ego of Paula LaBine, an itinerant cat lover who writes about cat cafes, rescue/adoption & TNR, and has been featured in Miau Magazine, Katzenworld Blog, The Catnip Times and Taiwan Scene. She is presently on a quest to go to each cat café on this planet, 217 in 29 nations thus far! Find her at theneighborscat.com or on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter @catcafeviews.
