By Olivia DeWan, contributor
For the past two years, Aristocat Cafe has served as a haven for tea and cat lovers alike. Founded by Amanda Atwell in 2023, the cozy Harrisonburg establishment blends her love for loose-leaf teas and feline companionship into a one-of-a-kind experience.
“I’ve fostered cats since I was 16,” Atwell said. “I love all animals, but cats have a special spot for me. I always thought, ‘man, wouldn’t it be cool to put cats and tea together?’”
When Atwell visited Quebec with her husband, she experienced her first-ever cat cafe, which sparked her inspiration for the Aristocat Cafe.
“I’ve probably been to 18 cat cafes,” Atwell said. “That’s when I went from just an idea to ‘OK, let’s do this.’”
Tying the feline experience with other interactive events, the Cafe is hosting Indigo Skies Permanent Jewelry on May 3rd from 11-4 pm.
“Indigo Skies Permanent Jewelry has been here before for Valentine’s Day, and it was a fun way to offer something personal to people,” Atwell said. “I’m hoping it will bring the same vibe.”
In addition to Indigo Skies, Bonfire Botany will do a terrarium workshop focused on butterflies on May 3rd under reservations.
“Bonfire Botany does a monthly terrarium workshop at the cafe and is always well attended,” Atwell said. “We will also host drinks for the class.”
And on Mother’s Day, the Cafe will be hosting a Mother’s Day Tea Party with two seatings at 10 am and noon.
“The Mother’s Day tea party will consist of an assortment of sweet and savory treats from Bittersweet Bakery, paired with a pot of tea, as well as 30 minutes in with the cats,” Atwell said. “We did it last year and it was a lot of fun, it’s more geared towards women than just moms.”
Aristocat Cafe partners with the Humane Society of Shenandoah County, acting as a foster for 16 cats at a time that can live at the cafe.
“We typically take new cats in on Sunday after we close,” Atwell said. “That way they have the whole week to adjust to each other and we can gauge very quickly if they’re going to succeed here.”
The Humane Society processes all the adoptions and applications. Anyone can go visit the cats at the Cafe, and if they’re interested in adopting, contact the Humane Society.
“We average about two adoptions a week,” Atwell said. “We prefer that people make a reservation to see the cats because then it’s all straightforward from there, but we do offer walk-ins if there’s space.”
The cafe is divided into two sections, with the cats housed in a separate room featuring large, floor-to-ceiling windows that look into the main cafe. This setup allows visitors to enjoy the cats from a distance if they prefer to watch rather than interact.
“We offer a unique space where you don’t have to interact with the cats if you don’t want to, but can be entertained by them,” Atwell said. “But there are so many different things like yoga nights and tea and chocolate tastings that we offer the community.”
Only ten guests are allowed to visit the cats inside their room at a time. Atwell said that helps the cats not be overwhelmed and provides a better experience.
But it’s not only the cats that draw a crowd to the cafe. The Aristocat Cafe has a unique focus on loose-leaf teas.
“I feel like we’re really getting known for our chai,” Atwell said. “It’s all loose dry tea that we steep. There are no powders, flavored syrup or mix .”
The cafe has matcha, oolong, green teas, pu’er and countless other options.
“We enjoy being a member of the Harrisonburg community,” Atwell said. “We are a tea house, which we [Harrisonburg] don’t have. There’s not a dedicated tea house in the area with 85 loose-leaf teas like we offer.”
Atwell said watching her vision come together, combining her love of cats and teas, was amazing.
“I think we’re a welcoming, safe space with really chill vibes,” Atwell said. “I hope customers leave feeling renewed and energized or with a cat. That’s really what it’s all about, is just slowing down for a minute to enjoy tea.”
