Yomiko Café joins the dog-friendly movement - inspired by Best Bark
Yomiko Café in Coleraine has officially joined the growing list of dog-friendly businesses in NI, thanks in part to inspiration from the Best Bark community. After noticing an increasing amount of customers asking if the café was dog friendly, and following encouragement from their social media manager who discovered Best Bark, Lee from Yomiko Café decided to make the move.
“I'm a dog owner myself, and we’ve had so many people ask if we allow dogs,” said Lee from Yomiko. “Then our social media manager came across Best Bark and suggested we tag them in a post. I took one look and said, ‘Just go for it, it looks great.’ That was the push we needed.”
Since the announcement, the café has seen an overwhelmingly positive response, both online and in-store. In the first two days alone, several happy pups came through the doors to enjoy free puppuccinos (now a permanent fixture on the menu).
“It’s been really positive, especially online. It’s only been a couple of days since we made the change, but we’ve already had a few dogs in. The reaction’s been lovely and we’re giving out free puppuccinos too, which the dogs (and owners) love!.”
Yomiko’s new policy reflects a wider movement taking shape across Northern Ireland, where an increasing number of venues are embracing the benefits of becoming dog friendly not only as a draw for customers, but as a way to build community and inclusivity.
Best Bark, Northern Ireland’s growing directory of dog-friendly businesses, has been spotlighting cafés, pubs, hotels and venues making the switch, encouraging more business owners to rethink their policies around well-behaved dogs.
“It’s great to be part of something that encourages dog owners to feel welcome and not have to leave their pets behind just to grab a coffee.” said Lee.
That sense of inclusion is exactly what Best Bark aims to promote across Northern Ireland’s hospitality scene.
“It’s been brilliant to see more local spots come on board,” said Courtney from Best Bark. “Yomiko is a perfect example - they’ve got the right attitude, the right setup, and they genuinely care about making their customers feel welcome, dogs included.”
“At the end of the day, dogs are a big part of people’s lives,” Lee added. “As long as they’re trained and under control, I don’t see why you wouldn’t welcome them. It’s been working really well for us so far.”
To mark the change, Best Bark will be sending a branded sticker to Yomiko Café for display in the window, a visible sign to dog owners passing by that their furry friends are just as welcome as they are.
Yomiko joins a growing list of venues across Northern Ireland making the switch, with more businesses expected to follow in the coming months as part of Best Bark’s ongoing awareness campaign.