San Francisco has joined the cat café frenzy and opened KitTea this week.
The era of the cat cafe is official. Like an irresistible meme gone viral, it seems that since the first one opened in Oakland just last October, a new one is opening monthly across the country. This week, it’s San Francisco’s turn, with the christening of KitTea, a Japanese-style teahouse and cat adoption lounge.
This one is the brainchild of a former tech marketing specialist who cites her cats for helping her recover from chronic burnout, and she’s made it her mission to cure other tech-addled urbanites with warm, fuzzy cuteness (and tea).
Now guests can look for cats in true San Francisco fashion: a sleek trendy cafe that seamlessly blends right into the middle of swanky Hayes Valley, with a well-appointed lounge boasting blonde wood tables, soft globe lighting, and picture windows in a bright white space.
KitTea also lures patrons with high-end treats like matcha cheesecake and hazelnut macarons. Plus, a one-hour reservation ($20) comes with a bottomless pot of organic tea sourced from a small, sustainable farm in Kyoto. If you go, opt for the Hojicha Sun, a copper-toned sencha with a rich sunflower flavor, served in handmade ceramic teacups on thin bamboo trays with an airplant garnish.
Jenna Scatena is on the San Francisco Bay Area beat for Travel + Leisure. You can follow her on Twitter at @Jenna_Scatena and Instagram at @Jenna_Scatena.
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