George, described on the website as “the clumsy one,” takes a nap on one of the seats at the Katzentempel cat café in Trier, Germany, on June 8, 2024. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
Trier is Germany’s oldest city, known for its Roman ruins and Karl Marx’s home, but it’s also home to the newest branch of a place full of feline fun and original cat-themed food.
Katzentempel cat cafe opened in Trier’s pedestrian zone in April. The franchise, which has 16 locations across the country, calls itself “Germany’s first restaurant where cats live.”
All the “temple cats” come from animal welfare organizations, the bar says. Trier’s five cats, Alex, Christina, George, Izzi and Meredith, were named after characters from “Grey’s Anatomy.” They are young and a little shy at dinnertime.
I know what you’re probably thinking: “Is it clean?” The kitchen is in an area where cats can’t go, and they have a private room in the back where they can hide to nap, eat, and go to the bathroom.
Izzi, a tuxedo cat, takes a nap near the front window of the Katzentempel, a cat café in Trier, Germany, on June 8, 2024. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
Izzi, a tuxedo cat, and George, a gray tabby, play with a pen at the Katzentempel cat café in Trier, Germany, on June 8, 2024. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
An employee plays with Meredith, a tabby cat, inside the Katzentempel cat café in Trier, Germany, on June 8, 2024. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
The bar has a few rules for the safety of cats and guests: no flash, no chasing or picking up cats, no feeding, supervise small children, and don’t wake a sleeping cat.
The cats are also given plenty of vertical space to climb and ledges to stand on. That said, I did see an employee moving around and gave George a light reprimand as he attempted to sleep on a table in the front window.
I was happy to see that I share my first name, Christina, with one of them. But of course, she was MIA for most of my meal. She probably clocked in for a nap. She’s just like me, really.
The extensive menu, offered in German and English, also serves as a manifesto. The chain takes great pride in being not only vegan, but also sustainable and low in gluten. I appreciated their very detailed additives and allergen table; it allowed me to avoid the specific nuts that trigger my allergies.
The “Cheezeburger” at Katzentempel in Trier is made with vegan cheddar cheese and is served with a salad. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
The menu included bowls, burgers, sandwiches, and salads for lunch and dinner. There are all-day breakfast options that were high in carbs like bread and had beans or vegan “egg scrambles” as protein options.
Everything is a bit expensive, maybe because Katzentempel doesn’t charge an entrance fee and the organic cat food they use isn’t cheap.
My friend ordered a “Cheezeburger” and I got the Tiger Bowl, because I was very curious to try the vegan version of pulled pork.
“It tastes like pork… well, what I remember pork tasting like,” said my friend, a vegetarian for five years.
In the foreground is the Tiger Bowl and pina y gato, a coconut, pineapple and mint lemonade, and in the background is the “Cheezeburger” from the Katzentempel restaurant in Trier, Germany, on June 8, 2024. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
I agree, because the texture wasn’t that far off and the light barbecue sauce was flavorful. At first, I tried every element in the bowl and was disappointed. I expected the kimchi vegetables to have a touch more spiciness. However, after a good blending, the creamy hummus and tangy orange balsamic sauce paired well with the crunchy almond topping.
As for the burger, it was “messy, so messy, it’s like there’s too much sauce,” my friend said as the vegan cheese slid off on her third bite. The cheese didn’t seem to have much flavor on its own, which may be why they slathered the burger with barbecue sauce.
I paired my meal with pina y gato, a coconut pineapple lemonade, which was unfortunately too sweet. I ordered a bottle of water just so I could dilute it a bit as I sipped.
The tiramisu at Katzentempel cat café in Trier, Germany, is made without eggs and dairy. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
I can’t have dinner without dessert, so I thought about whether to have tiramisu or a chocolate peanut tart in the shape of a paw on a stick. I chose the former. I didn’t miss the dairy in the whipped cream, but the edible flowers made me feel like I was eating tea leaves.
Reservations are highly recommended during peak periods. I have seen the host turn away many potential guests because the cat has been let out of the bag regarding the cool theme of this restaurant.
Customers enter the Katzentempel cat café in Trier, Germany, on June 8, 2024. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
T-shirts, tote bags and other goodies are on sale at the Katzentempel cat café in Trier, Germany. (Chrissy Yates/Stars and Stripes)
Temple of the Cat
Address: Brotstrasse 6, 54290 Trier, Germany
Opening hours: Mon-Thu: 10:00-20:00, Fri: 10:00-21:00, Sat: 9:00-21:00, Sun: 9:00-20:00
Prices: 10 to 12 euros for most salads and burgers, 16.50 euros for bowls, desserts 6 to 8 euros, daily lunch special 11 to 13 euros
Information: Phone: 0651 99166190; Online: katzentempel.de/standorte/trier, 16 locations throughout Germany
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Image Source : www.stripes.com