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Shakespaw Cat Cafe!


We did it again! This time we stumbled into this gem in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon & thought what kind of Afternoon Tea company & cat loving folk would we be if we passed up the chance to kill two birds (not literally!) & tell you about this cute & quirky Cafe??
Shakespaw Cat Cafe was puurrrfect for us - quirky theme? Cats in ruffs? Amazing. Let’s go inside!

We stumbled across this place by chance, as one of our group saw the kitty A-board down a side street in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon & I’m so glad she did! We decided to book online & luckily they had room for our group of six (which is the maximum for group numbers)
It’s £5 each to get in, & you can pay this online when you book (it’s recommended that you book to avoid disappointment!)

The exterior styling is so lovely & the inside is even quirkier!…Check out the Shakespeare theme! How gorge is their logo?!

They even sell ruffs inside, as well as other lovely little things in the kitty/Shakespeare style! Our resident photographer asked if he could take a photograph of the waiter’s apron - apparently we weren’t the first to ask if we could buy one!

Above: Signs on point. Each cat has a Shakespeare-related name!

We arrived slightly early for our 12:30pm appointment & entered through the front door where we were temporarily held until a member of staff was free to let us through the second doorway. This forms almost like a kitty airlock - common in Cat Cafes up & down the country, in order to prevent any kitty convicts escaping onto the street & as people who frequent Cat Cafes will testify, it makes the whole experience much safer for the little guys.

I feel like the image above really conveys the interior of the stairs down to the cellar where we sat.. it’s VERY Alice in Wonderland (& the Travelling Freakshow case is amazing!) The style of decor lends itself really well & the mix of shabby chic, cat lady & quirky fits perfectly with what I imagine Shakespaw’s clientele are all about! (namely us!)

Blues & pinks matched with florals, flamingos & fun furniture create a wonderful bespoke home for the little critters - some of whom we didn’t spot until we were seated downstairs (albeit it only took a matter of seconds for one little guy to make his presence known) - you get the sense that these cats truly feel at home here & are totally comfortable with popping up to say hello (& possibly because they’re on the scrounge for a tea sandwich or as one of the signs pointed out - because they’re a milk thief!)

The artificial floral archways seen above are a fantastic way to decorate larger spaces, as well as those nooks that are difficult to do anything with. (*HINT - These are similar to some that we have in our prop hire collection)

The image of the top left shows the cozy interiors that surrounded us on the day & the cats had their own room across from us which is solely for them (as per Cat Cafe Rules).

As shown in the middle photograph (along with some gorgeous flamingo wallpaper!) the Menu includes vegan, veggie & gluten free options & there really was something for everybody! We all ordered different things! I opted for the Peanut Butter Stack. No regrets.

Above Left: This cabinet was right next to us at our table & was full of quirky cups (& kitty teapots!) We’re ALWAYS in need of extra storage & this served as something interesting to have a mooch at - especially in our line of work!

Above Right: I LOVE this.

So, here was the order! Jewelled Carrot Cake; fruit scones (wrong order, sorry Mike!); Peanut Butter Stack & a plain scone with coffee. No complaints about any of it!

And what I’d imagine you clicked for.. (sorry for the decor delay!) THE CATS! Above left is the guy I wrote about earlier who was very friendly as soon as we sat down. Each cat has a very Shakespearean (awesome) name, & these can be found under their pictures around the Cafe (an earlier image of the signs shows the pictures & names listed pinned onto the counter cage).

I’d never seen so many unusual cats (in terms of style & their calm temperament!) all in one place! Top right shows that even though you may have millions of places to hide, sometimes you’re confident enough to chill in full view - the cats seemed very calm & at ease, & if they wanted to (as a few of them did!) they were able to retreat to their room for a lunchtime snooze.

Above: What a poser...

Above: Victorian Lemonade & The remains of an Irish Brew Tea

Above: Carousel teapot!! Repeat - Carousel teapot & Turkish Chunky Apple Tea

As i was saying previously, this place - even though cozy, was not short on hiding places for the little guys - Even so, how content does this guy look (Above Right) just chillin’ on the floor? It was a very hot weekend in Stratford, & there were times when we could have joined him. The vibe was very calm & again as I mentioned in my Birmingham Kitty Cafe post, I think as a visitor to one of these places, you know to respect these guys, it is after all their home.

The above are snapshots from the ground floor on our way out! This floor feels a little more open as you have the light from the shop window, but I wouldn’t say there was any less room downstairs where we were. No matter which floor you’re seated on, there’s plenty to see! Check out the decor (loving the mirror menus!)

We were sad to go but with an hour and a half stay, it’s plenty of time to spend eating Afternoon Tea with Cats & the fact that everything on the Menu was yum, it’s highly likely we’ll be back to try some more.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by again for our unplanned visit to this wonderful little cafe! Have you been yet?!


2 Comments


  • Pretty odd

    No worries Jayne – can’t wait to visit again!! <3


  • Jayne

    Fabulous review


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