The Hello Kitty Cafe Pounces on SoCal Next Year

A new kind of cat cafe appears to be taking the world by storm: Not only will a Hello Kitty-themed cafe will be popping up in Tokyo, Orange County in Southern California will be getting its own permanent Hello Kitty cafe. According to LAist, it will be the first Hello Kitty Cafe licensed by the beloved cartoon's parent company Sanrio in the continental U.S. (Hawaii is already home to a Sanrio cafe.)

Allan Tea — the cafe's managing partner who also helped debut Hello Kitty Cafe's successful mobile truck at the Hello Kitty convention this past weekend — tells LAist that "everything from the food to the decor of the space will be featuring the iconic Sanrio character." The menu will feature items like salads, sandwiches, and sliders alongside sweets including "artisan pastries" and desserts. Espresso and other coffee drinks will also be on offer.

Until the cafe sets up its brick and mortar location, the truck will be available for private parties around Southern California. The newest Hello Kitty Cafe is slated to open its doors by Summer 2015 just an hour's drive from LA.