The Wagamama dog-friendly cafe is now open in south St. Louis

When The Wagamama first opened in 2014 in the Shaw neighborhood, it was a pet-centric boutique offering a variety of items, from pet-themed jewelry to home decor. Now, it has moved and expanded to include a cafe offering coffee and tea in a dog-friendly environment. Food options will be offered in January 2021. 

Moving into a new space in late November made way for this addition. Co-owner Lynn Terry could clearly envision the cafe she wanted in the new location at 5838 Macklind Ave. in Princeton Heights. 

“We started out over in Shaw, but we’ve expanded over onto Macklind, where I was able to expand into the pet cafe,” Terry said. “We had a bar built and it has old, factory windows. It’s all encased, and people are welcome to come in and shop, grab a cup of coffee and hang out inside or on our patio.”  

Due to limited space in the 800-square-foot space, there’s currently no seating inside the café; however, the adjacent photography studio provides space to sit down and hang out when it’s not in use. “The whole space is warm and fuzzy, fun and inviting.” 

In sourcing their tea and coffee, The Wagamama has partnered with locally owned Big Heart Tea Co. and First Crack Coffee. 

“I got really excited when I met with First Crack because I personally find a lot of coffee to be acidic,” Terry said. “I feel like First Crack did a really great job with the Guatemalan blend that they got us for it to not be overly bitter, and I really enjoy the bold flavor.”  

The Wagamama went back to its roots for inspiration regarding a few specific menu items, with a handful beverages directly tied to a dog or cat.  

“We’ve named one of our drinks after my dog Midge. She’s our seasonal drink because you never know what you’re getting with her,” Terry said. “Meiko is my swanky dog, so we have the Meiko, which is the latte where you choose your pepper, whether it be a cayenne pepper or peppermint mocha. The High Five is a regular brew with a shot of espresso. High Five is a cat who was born with five legs; he has three now because they had to remove two of them so he could walk. Now, we just call him High.” 

Come January, patrons can expect prepackaged food that will include various breakfast items, pastries and sandwiches from local purveyors, though nothing is set in stone yet. The Wagamama also plans to utilize its large patio in the future to host arts and crafts vendors and food trucks, as well events like doggie yoga and dog-friendly movie nights.

 “We are all about community. I love the neighborhood that I’m in,” Terry said. “It’s about the experience for people, to be able to enjoy a good cup of coffee and also to be able to bring your dogs somewhere that they are welcome.” 

The Wagamama is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.