On a plush velvet sofa, an elegant Parisian woman savors every last crumb of a soft biscuit in a trendy cafe in the French capital. The only difference? This customer has four paws! Loulou, a Pomeranian with milky white fur, lets out an enthusiastic ‘woof’ after devouring a five-euro ‘Merveilleux,’ a treat made with thin layers of banana puree, beef, cream cheese, and apple.
A Culinary Haven for Canines
This one-year-old dog is a regular at this canine bakery, where treats displayed behind a meticulously arranged counter, like the heart-shaped ‘Mignon’ made with sweet potato, cream cheese, and blueberry, look as appetizing as human pastries. However, as the owner of Casa del Doggo emphasizes, there’s ‘no chocolate, avocado, grape, or onion’ in these canine desserts. She consulted a veterinarian to develop her recipes, ensuring they are both delicious and safe for dogs.
The adoption of Hulk, her three-year-old dog, inspired Clara Zambuto, 26, to open this bakery where dogs and their owners can indulge side-by-side. ‘I often went for walks with him. Doing activities, going to a cafe like a good Parisian… But he quickly got bored,’ she recounts. ‘I thought to myself: ‘it’s a shame that there aren’t places like this where, when we have our little coffee, we can also offer a little treat to our pet’.’ She adds, ‘Our dog is truly like our child: we want to be able to take him everywhere!’
This bakery is one of many dog-dedicated establishments flourishing in Paris, home to approximately 100,000 canines. Indulgence is good, but in moderation, warns veterinarian Lolita Sommaire, for whom ‘if it’s once a month, it’s not very serious.’ She advises, ‘If they’ve been to a small pastry shop, you need to adjust the next meal, reduce the quantities a bit, or do more activity.’
More Than Just a Cafe: A Social Hub
In another cafe, dogs lounge while nibbling on croissant or baguette-shaped treats for four euros. Marley, a miniature Australian shepherd wearing a red beret, laps up a creamy dessert from a silver bowl. For Rebecca Anhalt, the decision to open Bone Appart, a bar ‘where dogs are kings,’ stemmed from a hefty fine she received for letting her greyhound off-leash in a park. ‘I wanted to create a place where people could come without fear of being reprimanded for having a dog,’ explains the owner.
While Paris has about fifty ‘cani-parks’ where one can walk their four-legged companion off-leash, the collective of associations ‘Paris Condition Canine’ considers these spaces ‘insufficient, unevenly distributed, and sometimes poorly adapted to actual uses.’ Dogs even became a niche topic during the municipal campaign in March. The then-future socialist mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire, created an Instagram account featuring photos with his canine companions, while his rival, Rachida Dati, organized ‘canine aperitifs’ in her district’s town hall.
For Sarah Elgamal, Loulou’s owner, who describes herself as his ‘mom,’ outings to the bakery represent much more than just a place of consumption: it’s an opportunity to strengthen the bond with her pet. ‘It improves the connection because we are both in a third place that is neither work nor home,’ explains the 32-year-old pharmacist. And while dogs remain the priority in her cafe, Rebecca Anhalt emphasizes that many customers also come to meet other dog owners.
‘We sometimes introduce certain customers to others, because dogs are true vectors of social connection,’ she says. Thus, a regular and his 17-year-old dachshund, newly arrived in Paris, now come every day to ‘be part of the group and meet people,’ adds the owner. After all, ‘you can talk about your dog with anyone.’
Source: https://lequotidien.lu/culture/paris-le-bar-a-chiens-nouvelle-niche-chic/
