Rome’s Cat Cafe: Romeow

For the first year I lived in Rome, something was missing.

Of course I had moments of homesickness. I missed my family and my friends.

And I finally realized that I also missed my pets.

rome cat bistro There was no cat cafe in 2010, but soon there was Bacon the cat.

Just one cat. (I made do).

We have since moved Bacon from San Lorenzo to Testaccio, which means that now that Rome DOES have its first cat cafe, I live pretty close to it!

romeow interiorAnd rainy Sundays are scientifically the perfect time to spend in the company of cats, so I wandered over the Ostiense-based cafe this weekend.

2015-01-18 11.02.11

I headed straight to the upstairs seating where I met this guy. He was very interested in being in my immediate vicinity, but not really into snuggling.

cats at romeow

All the cats in the cafe are indoor kitties, roaming the cafe’s cat playground and eating their own natural food.

cat cafe rome

Most are curious/interested in coats.

rome's first cat cafe

All have impeccable taste in home decor and reading material.

2015-01-18 10.49.25

But it’s not just all cats, all the time.  Romeow Cat Bistrot serves up vegan-friendly fare.  So you can get your feline companionship with drinks and treats.

Valentina (one of the lovely founders) is happy to chat about the kitties, the menu and the philosophy.

raw and vegan rome

I opted for a smoothie, which are also slightly difficult to come by in Rome.  Almond milk, bananas and berries in this case.  For 6.50 Euro, the relatively rare treat was a bit pricey but the selection of primi and secondi seemed more reasonably priced.

cats rome bistroRomeow is a good place for a long conversation rather than just a quick smoothie.  I’ll be back next time I want to read or write in the presence of more than just one cat.

Update: (5 November 2015) When I visited Romeow, I only ordered a smoothie. The smoothie was small for the price, but fine.  Since then, I have heard from a few visitors that the menu was seriously lacking so I am removing this post from my Rome Restaurant Reviews. I cannot recommend the food — it is good in theory but perhaps not in execution. But the coffees are a fine bet and the kitty company and novelty factor might be worth it.

Romeo Cat Bistrot
Via Francesco Negri, 15
+39 06 57289203
Tuesday-Saturday 10:30 – 23:00
Sunday 11-16:30

 

9 thoughts on “Rome’s Cat Cafe: Romeow

  1. dena landry says:

    They should have a place like that in the U.S. Looks like a great idea to gets some cats adopted out. Would like to ask a question ? what months are ideal or decent weather for traveling to italy, I hate cold !!!

    • Natalie says:

      Hi Dena! They are becoming more popular in the US as well. I know there is one in Oakland, California that does adoptions too!

      It is a bit cold right now. Maybe April-October is better.

  2. William Johnston says:

    I look forward to a lazy day in Romeow when I come to Rome (next few weeks). It’s a nice concept (unless, of course, you are allergic to cats, or are a boy taking a girl who is allergic to cats on a date).

    It may even rival the new ‘cereal cafe’ in east London (yes it has 20 different types of milk) for kookiest concept !

  3. Beth says:

    I’ll be there in May and I’ll definitely need to go. I always go to the cat sanctuary at Torre Argentina but I’ll have to go here too.

  4. Marisa says:

    This is perfect. I was looking for a fun place to go on our last Sunday in Rome and this couldn’t fit the bill more!! Thanks for the post!!

  5. Pingback: Hopside: Craft Beer and Burgers in Ostiense – An American in Rome

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.