The bright pink pug cafe with dog-themed cocktails and cakes

Pug cafe CuppaPug is now open on Chapel Street.

This bright pink, vibrant haven is a pug playground where families, couples and individuals can come along to spend time with CuppaPugs’ resident pugs while dining out on pug-themed smoothies, milkshakes, coffees, teas and cakes.

CuppaPug Pug Cafe

Like no other hospitality concept around, this special experience is for pug enthusiasts and dog lovers alike, but specifically for those who do not have a dog but want to experience being in a pooch’s presence.

If you’re a fan of pugs, cracking cocktails and all things pink – you’ll have an awesome time here.

Customers can embrace the Instagram-friendly aesthetic and all-pink interiors, including a pug wall and ball pit, while becoming completely besotted with the resident pugs.

CuppaPug comes to Manchester

After seeing the original CuppaPug on London’s Arbutus Street sky-rocket over the past two years, owners Aaron Carty and Matt Pieterse decided to offer double the cuteness, with the launch of their new site at 220 Chapel Street, Salford.

CuppaPug came about from the aim to create a safe and nurturing community around pugs, working with charities and organisations that rescue and rehome them, while educating owners.

As well as the pug-themed decor, cosy corners and delightful food and drinks, CuppaPug merchandise is available, too, including cute accessories, mugs, t-shirts and tote bags.

CuppaPug was founded by partners Aaron Carty and Matt Pieterse. Aaron is an ex-police officer, turned digital media producer, entrepreneur, and successful international drag queen performer for the ‘Beyonce Experience’, as seen on Britain’s Got Talent and UK Black Pride. Matthew is a professional actor known for Channel 4’s Bleach, Subway Casanova advert, and short film Mild Thing.

Also in the CuppaPug family are Aaron and Matt’s pugs Gaston, Bruce, Bowser, Beau, Gizmo, Bebe and Baloo, who’ve been staying with them at The Kimpton Clocktower as they prep the site for opening.

What’s CuppaPug all about?

“Our inspiration was to create an environment, a pug playground where the pugs can play and people can safely engage with the pugs,” said Aaron said. “We want our customers to have an instant smile on their faces as they enter CuppaPug, we want them to feel the warmth and joy that pugs can bring and feel that spike in pleasure from hugging a pug.

We are so excited to be opening in Manchester, it’s a fantastic city. We are so humbled by the families from the north travelling to London for a day trip just to spend an hour with our pugs. We thought we owed it to those pug lovers to open a second site up here.”

With pug welfare at the core of the concept, CuppaPug works closely with three charity partners National Pug Protection Trust, Manchester Pug Thing and Pug Life Rescue, with £1 from each booking donated towards the rescue and rehoming of pugs.

“CuppaPug’s vision is to firstly amplify the education of owning a dog, the responsibility and commitment it takes, continuing to share our pugs with people to bring them joy, help with mind wellness and mental health and rescue pugs,” said Matt. “Manchester has an amazing pug community as well as its own non-profit organisation ‘Manchester Pug Thing’ that we wanted to help, not only with regular donations but to amplify the organisation and the work they do.”

Manchester will no doubt fall in love with their resident pugs.

Aaron and Matthew have held an intensive six-week process of applications, interviewing pugs and rehearsing pug groups, whittling over 60 applications down to just 10 superstar pugs. “It takes a pug that is sociable, active, energetic, lovable and with a unique personality to be a resident pug”, says Aaron.

If you’re interested in checking out CuppaPug, get in quick as London is known to be booked up for up to six weeks in advance.

How to book the pug cafe

One hour booking slots are made online here  priced at £15 per person. (Maximum 20 people per session, children under 5 are free, one per paying adult)

CuppaPug Manchester opens this March and will be open  Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays: 11am-7pm Sundays: 11am – 6pm.

Follow CuppaPug on Instagram