Vegan 'Sphinx Teahouse' in Third Ward to Feature Cat Lounge

Nothing pairs quite so well with vegan cuisine than a cute, purring cat nuzzling at your leg. At least, that’s what restaurateurs Ashleigh Boyd and Lauren Sevilla hope as they plan to open their “Sphynx Teahouse” next year. While the pair doesn’t have a definitive location nailed down, they are searching for a space in Houston’s historic Third Ward neighborhood. “We know we will definitely be located in Third Ward, and we won’t consider any other neighborhood,” Sevilla told Eater Houston. “We love Third Ward and want to use our business to help end the neighborhood’s food desert and spur economic growth for our Black & Latinx community, as well as our Third Ward business partners.”

True to its name, Sphynx Teahouse will offer a wide selection of teas including signature drinks like the “Clutch CiTea,” a blend of red hibiscus tea and yellow rose lemonade. As far as food is concerned, the cafe will offer vegan dishes like the Bernie Mac, a vegan take on chili mac which swaps meat for barbecued jackfruit. Sphynx has tried out their offerings at pop-ups throughout the city and plans to offer a wider selection of both teas and vegan dishes when they have a full space.

Without a doubt, the most highly anticipated offering of the future Sphynx Teahouse is its “cat lounge,” a separate section of the cafe where diners can play with adorable and adoptable cats while they dine. The cats will be provided by a local animal shelter in the hopes that diners might find their perfect feline companion while they enjoy tea. “Even if every interaction with the cats does not end in an adoption,” Boyd says, “we’re still providing customers with low-cost animal therapy and socializing shelter cats.”

Sphynx Teahouse plans to open its doors in March or April 2019. To keep up with Boyd and Sevilla’s pop-ips in the meantime, follow Sphynx Teahouse on Instagram at sphynxhouston.

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