Delhi’s first dog café, Puppychino, opens up catering to canines of the city and giving pet lovers and owners an option to spend some quality time with their best friend in an adorable café. Priyanka Joshi checks out its offerings
Imagine gorging on yummy treats like Strawberry risotto with mint curd, Spanish omlette with tortilla or Peanut butter and banana cupcake in a café for a lazy Sunday brunch. Yes we know how uplifting it is but before you float in the clouds of your reverie, here’s a little piece of cutesy info that would leave you agape. It’s a menu not for humans but for dogs. Yes you read that right and not in some tony tree lined New York’s Upper East Side but in our very own Shahpur Jat in the heart of Capital.
The best part, you can have your pick of Tex mex and Mediterranean with your pet without worrying about the pet menu which comes with precise health specs. So no more guilt pangs of leaving your furry friends behind.
You can spend some quality time with your best friend in an adorable, pet café greeted by two of its mascots, Bobo and Simba. Brainchild of two sisters, Nayani and Mallika Tandon, the café was spurred by their love for dogs and a lack of a decent place for them, Said Nayani, “My father gifted me Bobo, the labrador and Simba, the Husky. And I feel very sad when I leave them home alone. So I wanted a place where I could spend time with them.” Divided into two parts, an open area for dogs and sitting area for their ‘parents’, the place has tables lined accordingly creating a central space for dogs to play.
The café boasts of two chefs who have come up with an interesting menu for owners and pets both. Ranging from Italian, Israeli, Tex-Mex and American cuisines for humans and special menu of muffins and pancakes for pups. “We created a healthy yet sumptuous dog menu keeping the nutritional value intact. There’s no use of sugar or salt at all. We have also used gluten-free ingredients and cornmeal to make cupcakes to keep any allergies at bay,” said Tandon. Apart from this they have also incorporated brown rice, fresh vegetables and fruits in the pet menu.
About their business model and target group, the owners of the café said they are catering only to the dog lovers who are willing to spend money on their pets. There is also a section dedicated to pet merchandise like toys, leash, dog food bowls, bow ties among others. The good thing for pet parents is that now you don’t need to fret over where to celebrate your best buddy’s birthday. You can very conveniently bring them here and order a birthday cake and more. “For birthdays you have to book in advance, we do everything for you from the scratch, you don’t have to worry at all,” shared Tandon.
The place also has a trainer looking after the dogs while you take a break.
The jovial ambience of the place was evident when a particular cute customer, Champ stepped in with its parents, mingling pretty well with Bobo and Simba. “I’m so happy to see Champ delighted here and the way he has accustomed to the place with an ease. I like the concept so much, it’s really worth the wait,” said Champ’s parent. The owners also plan to introduce day boarding facility soon with the advance booking in existence already. “We don’t want pets to wait in heat as we have less space,” said Nayani Tandon.