In St. Augustine, Florida, animal enthusiasts have discovered a new haven known as The Capybara Cafe, where they can interact intimately with trendy big furry rodents—the capybaras. Located in the back of a real estate office building in what is known as America's oldest city, the cafe offers visitors the chance to cuddle with these charming creatures, who are known for their sociability.
Stephanie Angel, the owner of The Capybara Cafe, opened the establishment in October of last year. She has created an environment where capybaras gladly crawl into visitors' laps, nibble on corn on the cob, and eagerly accept scratches from humans. "You give them lots of scratches and love,” Angel explains. She adds that the goal is to make the capybaras so comfortable that they eventually fall over from relaxation.
Since its opening, The Capybara Cafe has attracted hundreds of animal lovers eager to engage with the capybaras. Reservations are often booked months in advance, with patrons like Leah Macri traveling from Orlando to visit the northeast Florida cafe with her daughter. Macri shared her impressions, noting, "Their fur kind of feels like straw a bit,” as she enjoyed the unique tactile experience of interacting with the animals.
Upon entering, guests find a reception area complete with couches and an open pen of baby chicks. Visitors are then escorted into a smaller room where groups of about six people are seated. Blankets are placed over their laps, and three capybaras are introduced to the room along with other animals like a skunk, wallaby, and armadillo. Experiences are priced at $49 for a half-hour session with capybaras, and $99 for an hour-long encounter that includes other animals. Despite coming for the capybaras, Macri also relished the chance to hold the armadillo, describing it as "the cuddly, like the best. He was just the softest.”
Capybaras, native to South America, are the world's largest rodents and can measure over 4 feet (1.2 meters) in length, weighing more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms). This trend of showcasing capybaras follows previous surges in popularity of other “it” animals, such as axolotls, owls, hedgehogs, foxes, and sloths. Capybara-themed merchandise, including slippers, purses, robes, and bath bombs, was widely available during last year's holiday season.
While several zoos and wildlife parks in the U.S. allow encounters with capybaras, Angel emphasizes the unique intimacy her cafe offers compared to these other facilities. In addition, plans are underway to open another capybara cafe in St. Petersburg, Florida. Although the St. Augustine location does not serve coffee or hot food as one might expect from a cafe, it does sell capybara-themed T-shirts, coffee mugs, and stuffed animals.
The Capybara Cafe also serves a humanitarian purpose; it was established to provide financial support for Noah’s Ark Sanctuary Inc., a nonprofit animal refuge based in Hastings, Florida. Visitors like Chris Cooper, who traveled 157 miles (253 kilometers) to experience the cafe, expressed surprise at both the capybaras' coarse fur and their affectionate nature. “They enjoyed the hands-on rubs,” he remarked, confirming the cafe's role in fostering a unique bond between humans and animals.
