And it’s about time.
After the success of the Hello Kitty truck, which cruised Los Angeles during the Hello Kitty convention last year (yes, that’s a thing), parent company Sanrio has decided to make the relationship permanent.
A pop-up Hello Kitty restaurant will open in Irvine, California, this month, according to the Los Angeles Times. Although there are Hello Kitty cafés in several Asian cities, including Hong Kong; Beijing; and Seoul, South Korea; this will be the first in North America.
The café will transform a shipping container at the Irvine Spectrum Center into a Hello Kitty paradise with themed snacks from the Sanrio universe, including treats decorated with My Melody, Little Twin Stars, and the adorable frog Keroppi. No word on whether Gudetama, the Lazy Egg, will make an appearance at the café, but after Sanrio’s recent successful collaboration with L.A. burger chain Plan Check, it seems possible.
The makeshift restaurant will offer daily tea service (perfect for high tea with a favorite Hello Kitty fan) as well as coffee, soda, and undoubtedly adorable treats like pastel macarons, character-themed petits fours, and donuts adorned with the feline-esque creature’s signature bow. LAist reports that the café will also offer a lunch menu with items like salads, sandwiches, and sliders.
The initial restaurant will be a temporary pop-up, but Sanrio plans to open a permanent Hello Kitty Cafe in Southern California some time next year. Fans of the cutesy character in other parts of the country, take heart: the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck has been making its way across the country, with recent stops in New York, Seattle, Las Vegas, and the Bay Area.
