Cozy space, great coffee and soft drink selections, Gluten Free cake options, and a doorway to go spend time with some cats, some you may want to adopt. read more

Great place to study or snack when you are stressed about school for Cornell students. Love cats and love cat cafes bc they will hopefully get a forever home! Thank you alley cat cafes for loving cats. Fun place to relax and play. It's only $10 per hour and you can do 30 min for $5. Great deal for a college student budget. read more

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Wednesdays between 10-12 kids get 30 mins free. They were busy so we were glad we got there at the tail end of the rush. Otherwise, it's $5 a person and as we were told, it's all for the cats. We also saw Marigold, the famous cat from Inside the Mind of a Cat. Personally, I wasn't thrilled about the horrendously bad smell. I understand it's a place with cats but maybe a scented candle or some effort to take away the funk (it really was that bad). We didn't get any drinks or food but it appeared to be common Ithaca fare (if you know, you know). My niece loved it and easily gave 5 stars. The staff were great and quick to offer helpful info. A lot of info, the entire time, if you get my meaning. She talked a lot. Overall, a wonderful experience and opportunity for adopting. I'm glad the business gives back and we will definitely be back. Just hope they light a candle next time. read more

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I love cats and I usually love cat cafes! Unfortunately, this one was not well-kept; the toys had seen far better days, the room was dirty, and most importantly: the smell of dirty cat litter was inescapable. I know they're resource-constrained and doing good work, but PHEW! More air purifiers needed. read more

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Nice feline friendly cafe! Perfect you and you cat lady friends. Have a cup of tea or a coffee. Get a sweet treat and head to the cat room and maybe meet Marigold the house cat. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Fun cat themed coffee shop! - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Love the ambiance, fun drinks and snacks - very authentic to Ithaca and the college scene.

I'd been once when they were in the old location, where The Shop used to be. (Used to frequent The Shop lots when I lived in Ithaca -- would have loved if there were cats there at the time.) Their new setup suits them much better. It's easy to get cozy and watch the cat room from part of the dining room even if you don't decide to go in. Their menu is huge-- much bigger, I think, than the last time I was here years ago. Love that items have fun cat-themed names. I got the catnap, which is a chamomile latte with milk and honey. I thought it sounded good, but didn't expect it to be so delicious! So light, just the right amount of sweet, tons of foam. I'd for sure order it again. The decor is homey and cozy. I camped out in a cloth chair for a bit. It was a festival day and I had the misfortune of sitting next to a really obnoxious group of college kids, lol, but that's not the cafe's fault. Definitely recommend if you're in Ithaca! read more

This is the cutest little place we loved it here! The kitties were so cute and the cat room was wonderful. They've moved to a new location and they've got much more space and seating and the Cafe itself has a lot of food and drink options. We loved visiting the kitties and only 5 dollars for a 30 minute visit! Can't wait to visit again! read more

The matcha is amazing! The avocado toast was great and the chickpea salad too. Many vegetarian friendly meal options. The staff are friendly, the Wi-Fi is great. read more

Incredibly cute place with cats, merch and ambiance in abundance. The rosemary latte was great (if a tad sweet) and we also purchased local coffee (which they ground for free). Very personable people working there and all the art is such a nice touch. Watching the cats play (which you can do for free because they are glasses in) was fun, too. read more

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The cat café has relocated to a larger, more illuminated space. You can still order your favourite (cat-themed) drinks & treats, and the cat rooms are more numerous with kittens and cats padding around and sleeping happily throughout. This place is dopamine heaven. read more

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Who can resist a cat house? I only saw one feline wandering around in the afternoon, but I suppose it's nap time. There were several students studying alone or in small groups, so I'm using it to catch up on my reviews for Yelp! Oh, and they serve coffee & tea. I had the Calico, which means caramel and chocolate and vanilla in a latte. It was delicious. Service is friendly and enthusiastic. The vibe and music inside is very relaxing. read more

As a former enthusiastic patron of the Shoppe, my perspective might be affected by that comparison. But the Alley Cat Cafe is a unique addition to the unpredictable cafe scene in Ithaca right now. The interior is cozy, if a little messy and disjointed in its decor. Plants and twinkly lights add tremendously to the appeal. Overall, it's a nice spot to post up with your laptop to do some work. The staff were very enthusiastic and friendly, and I appreciated the use of ceramic mugs for folks staying to spend some time. The latte was lovely. The menu is vegetarian, with several panini and sandwich options, which is great for people looking for a veg spot. The toast with various spreads are weirdly pricy, but otherwise the menu is affordable. The combined business model of the cafe and cat adoption site is cute. I'm not even interested in visiting the cats, but it's fun to have them hanging out behind the glass while you work. I'm looking forward to visiting in warmer seasons, for the Italian sodas and hopefully a bit of outdoor seating! Edit: I completely forgot to mention a key Good Thing -- so many loose leaf tea options! Cup or tea pot, which is so nice. And drip coffee refills! All good things. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I really love visiting this cat cafe on weekends when I need to take a break from studying. It is also a great study place at the cafe, but it definitely gets busy on the weekends. They recently moved to their new location on 112 N Cayuga St and now the space is much more bigger in the cafe seating area and the cat rooms also! They still mandate masks so remember to bring one. They also have special dessert collaborations with local bakers such as little tiger bakery and the gallery, which both offer some amazing cute, creative and delicious treats. For entering the cat room, its $5 for every 30 minutes and you should definitely book through their linktree on their instagram because weekends are the busiest and generally you can't do walk-ins. Overall, I love coming here when I can to play with the cats and also enjoy some sweets! read more

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Always happy to pay a visit and support the cats! However, the staff has become increasingly rude and condescending to customers over our past few visits. During our last visit, we went to pick up our two coffees at the bar but mistakenly picked up one of the two. Upon taking a sip and realizing, we went back to the counter and apologized, then offered to pay for the drink we mistakenly picked up. The barista with red hair was incredibly nasty and yelled at us to get to the back of the line to pay while we were figuring out where to line up. When the second (correct) drink was ready, we said we had already accidentally taken another drink and were paying for that one, too, and to give us a second. The barista with red hair looked at me and said "I don't care." and rolled her eyes. She gave her coworkers a look of disgust before heading back to work. I truly do not know how we could've done more to work with them to rectify an innocent mistake in a way that wouldn't have warranted an attitude and condescension. Additionally, right as we walked in and asked if the cats were taking visitors today, the same barista responded with "yes." very curtly then ignored us until another lovely barista took our order. Horrible customer service on the red haired barista for no reason. We will be donating to independent rescues in lieu of visiting as frequently as we used to. At least then we won't have to worry about being disrespected. read more

The cafe was packed. There were no cats we could see. The latte I ordered was ok but I really just went to see the kittens. The people behind the counter were nice. I'd go back to have the chance to see more kittens read more

Awesome place! Great food and drink plus outstanding service & ambience. The cat theme, and actual cats are a definite plus!

SUPER friendly cafe to get a little cat strange. Come for the cats and caffeine, stay for the warm-hearted humans who work here. Highly recommend! read more

I think I probably wouldn't order food here again - my grilled cheese was really dry. The tea was good though. The cats are definitely the selling point and they don't disappoint. For a college student who doesn't have access to pets besides my few visits back home, I was glad to visit a cat who gave unconditional love. read more

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Great spot to grab a coffee and relax and get some pet therapy in. The cat room is adorable and well maintained, lots of spots to cuddle up with a kitten and enjoy your coffee, and plenty of things for the cats to play with and climb (be warned, the wall mounted fixtures for them to climb and play in will make you want to build some at home). We tried some cold brew and some iced tea and liked everything we had. Perfect way to de-stress for a half hour or so. read more

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Alley Cat Cafe is a wonderful place to bond. The tea is excellent and so are the fur buddies in the back rooms of the cafe, waiting to be adopted. I was missing my cats and went to visit this cafe. $5 to check out the cats. I got to visit with Bernie, Marigold and others. Cafe can use donations of litter and food. Gotta visit these cats. Make a reservation on their webpage. read more

One vaccine and three boosters later you still need a mask to enter this place to eat. Nah. I'm a bit too old for this level of virtue signaling with my food. read more

Great lattes, quirky vibe. Had food once and it was okay. I don't love cats but if you did that would be cool.

Would give 0 stars if possible. Here's why. 1. This place CHARGES for masks if you don't have one. I don't mind wearing a mask, but charging customers who don't bring them (because the NYS mask mandate has ended) is just so low. It's funny, you buy a mask, walk 15 feet and order, then sit down and take it off. 2. Their excuse for a cat room is pitiful. In addition to charging $5 per person for a 30 min session with other random cafe-goers & cats in one of the most cramped rooms imaginable, they only had about 4 cats when I came here. No drinks allowed in either! Save your money and go to a humane adoptionn society, where they let you visit multiple cat rooms for free. 3. The staff was super weird. From the way they take your order to just small social interactions, it was a very uncomfortable energy put out by them. 4. The drinks were extremely lackluster. From the tea to the coffee, you really wish you were drinking anything else. The vegan strawberry cupcake was pretty good, though. All in all, horrible spot. Go somewhere else for a better experience. read more

The Alley Cat Café combines the pleasures of good food (with vegan options!), good coffee, and cats! The staff was super polite and friendly. They have great sandwich options and though I'm not much of a coffee/tea connoisseur, my brother that attended Ithaca College swears by this place. It's a great relaxing environment to get some work done or relax and the best part is that you can pay a few bucks to spend some quality time with some lovely felines. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Must visit if you're in Ithaca. Very cozy environment with all vegetarian menu. Order at the counter and get comfy. If you're going into the rooms to play with the kitties ask for your drinks in take out cups. The barista makes the perfect latte. Perfect temperature and creaminess. I loooooooved it! Will definitely be back anytime I'm in the area. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Play area! - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I appreciated having an ACTUAL coffee cup to enjoy my cappuccino. From there, the owner spent time talking about the philosophy of the shop, the work they do to spray/neuter/rescue cats within the Ithaca community. Moreover, recognizing the value cats can have on increasing mental health in our mentally stressful climate, provides a space to enjoy their company. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Display of wares and preview of the menu. Welcoming space with a social mission! - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

This is probably my favorite cafe in Ithaca and I'm not even a cat person The aesthetic is perfect for sticking around to get some work done in the afternoon and they've got an awesome selection of drinks. I had the Cat Lady, a mocha and lavender drink, where you can actually taste the lavender and then the Amaretto hot cocoa later on, not overly sweet and just perfect. Might become my go-to finals study spot. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - menu - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Totally underrated as a great place to get vegan food and deserts. The cafe has an extensive menu of coffee drinks. The tea I had was truly excellent. There were good vegan substitutions for fancy coffee drinks, like almond milk, etc. The food menu is limited, but has a nice selection of options, including vegetarian and vegan food. It's $5 to visit the cats in the cat room, but I think of it as a donation for the care of the animals. The cats are up for adoption and the cafe is run by a shelter. read more

This place is great. Everything I've had here between drinks and food has been really good, and you get to play with kittens! What more can you ask for? Definitely worth a shot if you don't feel like wading into the chaos of Collegetown Bagels. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

This is the most adorable cafe in town. Definitely worth a visit if you're popping into Ithaca for a short trip. The kitties are extremely friendly and are all up for adoption! read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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We found this gem of a place just as we were about to leave Ithaca. It delayed our departure but in the best way possible. The coffee and staff were wonderful but being able to play with cats and drink coffee is a sublime combination . They make their own in house vanilla syrup for the coffee too. My daughter said it was the best vanilla latte she's ever had :) read more

Alley Cat Cafe - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Great coffee!! I got a latte with oat milk & the owner was VERY nice & helpful. I drank part of my coffee in the cozy seating area then put into a to go cup & went into the cat room to play with some kittens! This place is a great establishment and the baristas are very helpful--I was only in Ithaca for a few days, but I would recommend this café to anyone: whether you're visiting or a local. read more

Alley Cat Cafe - the back room with some lower energy cats - Pet Adoption Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I love the idea of a cat cafe and have been to several around the country. This one is very nice! Th coffee was very good, and lots of tea options, too. They have a 'high energy' (kitten) room and a 'lower energy' room for adult kitties. There is a nominal fee of $5 for 30 minutes, which helps the care of the cats. Please stop by for a visit and support the cats...better yet, adopt! read more

I have to give it 5 stars for the cats! I love how the cafe has a room with adoptable kitties. This cafe is across the street from the hotel where we're staying. I saw it and knew immediately I had to visit it. My 6 yr old son and I went into the cat room. It's $5 per person for 30 mins. We had so much fun playing and petting the cats. The room is full of beds, toys, cat trees and condos, and fun places for the cats to hide and lounge. It's well maintained and the litter boxes are tucked away. It's a little stuffy in the room but I'm guessing because it's closed all the time. There's a sign in and out sheet. Hand sanitizer bottle to use at entry and exit. We did also get two americanos, one ice cream puddle and one lime fizzy soda. There are many syrup options for the fizzy drink. The ice cream puddle tasted like a melted vanilla milk shake. My sons loved their drinks. The americanos were OK. I'm a coffee snob. The cafe workers were quirky and very nice. A few patrons were sitting in the front otherwise it was pretty quiet. I totally would've adopted the adorable black and white spotted kitty with the partially missing tail. There's a sign that you must wear masks to enter. read more

A very calm environment with low lighting, plants, and soft music. Love the hot chocolate because it's not too sweet. The barista is great at latte art! Pleased that there are v and gf food options. Love the serenitea wall especially because it tells you about the caffeine levels. Cat display board has cute descriptions. Of course, last but certainly not least...cats! I like how the viewing window has a ledge they can climb up on, and all of the bright colors inside. This is a great way to socialize the cats, and it's a great cause because they are all rescues. read more

What a charming place! My daughters enjoyed visiting the cats while I sipped my latte. Very laid back and friendly. Would definitely go back! read more

We went there just to play with some cats. It's $5 per person to enter the cat areas. There are 2 rooms, one with chill cats and one with higher energy cats. I believe you can adopt these cats too but definitely ask the employees there about that. The cafe itself was decent sized. read more

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This is a wonderful cafe with access to cat rooms which host wonderful kitties. The staff is super friendly and informative and really looks like they enjoy working there. We spent time in the active kitty room with the most playful cats and had a blast playing with the cats and myriad of cat toys. The coffee and biscotti was good - and it was nice that they had kids drinks (which are served at a cooler temperature just right for little kids to sip). This was a fun and unique outing. Definitely reserve your cat time online during the weekends as it can get full! read more

This is my favorite coffee shop in all of Ithaca! The people are always friendly and polite. I've tried a few different drinks here, and everything is so good! Every time I'm in the area, I have to stop by. read more