You may have heard of dog and cat cafés before, but now, Toronto is officially getting its very own raccoon café – and it opens this June!
Soon, you’ll be able to sip caffeinated beverages and order tasty treats all while hanging out with a number of the city’s unofficial mischievous mascots.
Bandit Café is bringing the concept to Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood this summer, modelled after the success of the viral Hongdae Raccoon Cafe in Seoul.
The cafe’s resident raccoons are all sadly orphans from a local wildlife sanctuary, who would otherwise not do well in the wild.
They are also all vet checked and eager to socialize, as they have been used to humans since they were infants – you’ll just have to wear gloves provided by the cafe, as their claws are sharp!
In order to keep the cafe sanitary and free of raccoon fur, the raccoons are kept in a separate room you can see through a window that’s filled with toys, mounted climbing structures, and beds for them to curl up in.
No human food or drinks are allowed in the raccoon play area, as they are fed a vet-approved diet, but these little guys sure love ear scratches and belly rubs.
As for the cafe’s menu, you can find a range of baked goods and creative coffee-themed drinks, including lavender lattes, salted caramel cappuccinos, and iced matchas. You can also add on a fun latte art design to your beverage that looks like a raccoon!
Unfortunately, despite how cuddly these little guys are, you sadly won’t be able to take one home with you. Nor will you be able to actually visit Bandit Cafe, because, happy April Fool’s Day.
Lets leave Toronto’s wildlife wild, and remember not to feed or attempt to pet the masked bandits when you inevitably come across one (or a family rummaging through your trash bins at night).
If you are looking for a fun raccoon-themed experience, one Torontonian recently created a hilarious video game that lets you explore the streets of Toronto as a raccoon.
Aptly named ‘Trash Panda’, your objective is to make the biggest mess you can by knocking over garbage bins, which you’re then rewarded with delicious treats and power-ups.
You can play ‘Trash Panda’ from one of the city’s many real coffee shops and cafes, which you can find a round-up of here.