Bella (left) enjoying quality time at Zoomies with Jordan (right)

After four years in St. Louis, I have maintained my coffee addiction by exploring a variety of cafes. There are the classics: all of the Kaldi’s Coffee locations, Meshuggah Cafe on the Delmar Loop, and even our very own campus spots like Cafe Bergson and Whispers Cafe and Collins Farms at Law Cafe. There are the ones lesser known among WashU students, though equally as wonderful, like Lydia’s in St. Charles and Fiddlehead Fern Cafe in Tower Grove. However, one cafe has outshined the others: Zoomies Pet Cafe in Princeton Heights, 20 minutes from campus by car. Sometimes, more than the drinks, food, or decor, it is the visitors that bring a space to life, and at Zoomies, the nonhuman visitors often outnumber the human ones. 

Zoomies is a pet cafe and boutique. There is a storefront with a large supply of pet food and toys, a backyard for play, and a cozy dining area, with natural light flowing in through the main window. The whole store is animal-friendly and so are the many events hosted at Zoomies. Customers with or without pets are welcome to come in and enjoy the cafe; often dogs will run around, play with each other, and greet patrons, breathing joy into the atmosphere. 

During a recent visit to Zoomies, I ordered, along with an oat milk latte, the Murdoch BLT. This is essentially a BLT but with peanut butter. (As a brief aside: I understand, to many, this likely sounds disgusting, but as an avid peanut butter fan, I was more than happy to try it out.) It was delicious. More than that, however, it made me a local celebrity among some new dog friends. With bacon, peanut butter, and bread on my plate, all the dogs wanted to hang out with me. I was all for it. A classic trade of human food for dog love. One dog, Bella, became a loyal business partner. 

Fortunately, my girlfriend Alexis, who I went to Zoomies with, was understanding of Bella becoming my new date. Bella’s family was slightly less understanding. They came around to it, though, as she continued to sit by my side and offer lots of love, while I was granted permission from the owners to offer her lots of peanut butter. Needless to say, we were both very happy customers. 

Nestled in a cute neighborhood, surrounded by pretty houses and small shops, Zoomies is a great location for all coffee and dog lovers alike. The food is great, the coffee is lovely, and the visitors — human and nonhuman — are overwhelmingly friendly. You’re destined to leave with a smile on your face.