Sora (Dog) Cafe

Since I’ve arrived in Usa, it’s been a goal to find what I would call “My new favourite coffee shop”. On the hunt on an early Saturday morning, Jesse and I take the car out in search of Sora Cafe, one of the closest spots we find on Google maps to our apartment.

While driving down the highway, we pull off onto a narrow, winding road of farmland. There are farmers burning dry hay on one side of the road, and through the smoke past an overgrown grave, is a tunnel of trees and vines. When we finally pull through, we see two healthy looking goats grazing on the side of the hill, their bellies protruding comically from the sides.

Nestled in a thick of persimmon trees facing a river, is Sora Cafe.

We’re here before opening time, but a woman in a plastic apron and dog come out to greet us anyways. We meet Pochi, the mascot of the cafe.

Sora Cafe is still a place that serves coffee, but it would be better described as a dog cafe. This includes food for the dogs, dog grooming, pet hotel, pet sitter, dog training, and an off-lease dog run.

Dogs are allowed in the cafe, and there’s a gated area where dogs can roam free. With a surfboard set in the wall, and rack of stylish outdoor lifestyle and dog magazines, this feels like a place where someone can adopt a surfers attitude, and sit with a coffee for a long time, as the waves, err, dogs, come and go.

We order coffees, and while we sit, we notice an influx of people coming in with their dogs. Some are looking for trims, and the woman we saw earlier comes out to arrange pickup times for the owners.

We order our own food. I get yuzu and walleye pollack roe pasta, and Jesse gets Tex-mex rice.

Sora Cafe is a wonderful treat. Being here gives me that little dog dose that I need every once in a while, to subside my dog withdrawal symptoms. When we leave, the man behind the counter gives us a business card, and asks us to “come by and play again”. We will.