NYC Canine Cafe Offers Valentine's Day Dates with Dogs

Boris & Horton in East Village hosts romantic dinners for humans and their pooches.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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East Village canine cafe Boris & Horton is hosting a special 'Love at First Bark' Valentine's Day dinner on Saturday, February 14th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. The event will feature prix fixe menus designed for both humans and their dogs, with options like beef bone broth jellies, beef meatballs, and pup cup strawberry tartlets for the canines, and clam chowder, beef brisket, and wine/beer for the humans. The cafe, which first opened in 2018, is billing itself as Manhattan's first dog cafe and is aiming to provide a fun, dog-friendly way for people to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Why it matters

The 'Love at First Bark' event at Boris & Horton highlights the growing popularity of dog-friendly establishments, especially in urban areas like New York City where many residents live in small apartments without much space for pets. It also speaks to the increasing role that dogs play in the social and romantic lives of their owners.

The details

Boris & Horton, which is owned by Carol Krakowski, has already received over 50 reservations for the Valentine's Day dinner. The cafe features a special section where customers can bring their dogs while enjoying food and drinks. Krakowski was inspired to take over the cafe after getting burnt out in her corporate consulting work, seeing dogs as 'vehicles for connection' between people.

  • The 'Love at First Bark' dinner is set for Saturday, February 14, 2026 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm.
  • Boris & Horton first opened under different ownership in 2018.

The players

Boris & Horton

An East Village canine cafe that is hosting a special Valentine's Day dinner for humans and their dogs.

Carol Krakowski

The owner of Boris & Horton, who was inspired to take over the cafe after getting burnt out in her corporate consulting work and seeing dogs as 'vehicles for connection' between people.

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What they’re saying

“Valentine's Day is all about love. It's all about connection. Finding a way to make that dog-friendly was a really fun, exciting inspiration for us.”

— Carol Krakowski, Owner, Boris & Horton

“Dogs are vehicles for connection across people, we see it in day-to-day interactions in the cafe, you see it as a dog owner just walking around.”

— Carol Krakowski, Owner, Boris & Horton

“People have been really positive. Our post about it has gotten way more reach than anything else I posted since I took over the business.”

— Carol Krakowski, Owner, Boris & Horton

What’s next

The 'Love at First Bark' Valentine's Day dinner at Boris & Horton is a one-time event scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The takeaway

The 'Love at First Bark' event at Boris & Horton highlights the growing popularity of dog-friendly establishments, especially in urban areas, and the increasing role that dogs play in the social and romantic lives of their owners.