By Maryam Rahaman
ASTORIA — A classic sit-down Valentine’s Day dinner: candlelit tables in a dim bistro, live music, and a six-course meal. At your feet, your furry friend devours a feast of bone broth, freeze dried vegetables, steak tartare, and cookies and cream, taking the occasional break to go for a walk outside.
Such was the scene at “L’Amour le Woof,” the seventh annual Valentine’s Day dinner hosted at Chateau Le Woof, a dog cafe in Astoria founded in 2015. The cafe offers coffee, drinks, or even meals as their dogs play or dine with them.
On Valentine’s Day, dogs lined up in the cafe’s play area as owner Natassa Contini took roll call for dinner. Many of the pets showed up dressed to the nines, wearing red sequined tuxedos, pink sweaters, and bowties. Some matched with their owners. As for the human diners, they came in pairs and solo, as couples, friends, and family celebrated the occasion with man’s best friend.
Unlike a typical romantic dinner, pet owners sitting next to each other struck up conversations and shared laughs as their dogs sniffed each other or reached for the same treats. Some attendees visit as often as twice a week. King, a red-nosed pitbull, was Contini’s first dog as an adult. She described him as her “best friend and son wrapped up in one.” One day, someone tried to walk away with King when she tied him outside while she grabbed a cortado. She says Chateau Le Woof was born out of a dream she had shortly after that incident, where she sat next to King inside a cafe.
“The most important thing for me is building a community,” Contini said. “It’s a great place for people to meet,” she continued. “How cool is it to be able to go to a dinner with your dog, by yourself, not feel weird in a room full of a people that all get it?”
Chateau le Woof on Valentine’s Day. Photos by Maryam Rahaman.
Couple Bethany Lester and Lance Dominé attended with their happy go-lucky pooch Jake, who tried eating table neighbor David’s treats as he posed for a picture. Lester was “not even a little bit” of a dog person when the couple started dating. She says her old self would’ve never stepped foot in a dog cafe. Now, the pair visit most Saturdays. Jake gets excited every time he sees Contini.
“It’s very difficult to find places that are pet-friendly and have space for us to also enjoy food or enjoy coffee,” said Chari Minaya, who attended alongside her son David and dog Marshmallow. Others said the cafe is particularly appreciated during the winter months, where it’s hard to find dog-friendly indoor activities. The only round of barking came as Contini hand-delivered each dog a course of freeze-dried vegetables. Singer-songwriter and comedian Seann Cantatore performed original songs as well as classics. As one dog returned from a walk, Cantatore adapted the lyrics of Nat King Cole’s L-O-V-E—singing, “O is for the only little doggy I see.”
Cantatore began performing at the venue five years ago after being drawn to a jazz band performing outside the cafe. “It’s worth the extra steps from the subway,” she says. In the future, Contini hopes to continue expanding Chateau Le Woof’s services and to give back to the community.
“The way that dog spaces are moving now, it’s incredible to see,” she said. “It’s really great to see that things are moving in that kind of direction because it’s really kind of harmless and brings a lot of joy.”
