This Boston cafe wanted to give your dog a treat. City’s health inspection says no

Who’s a good boy? Not a Boston cafe, according to city health inspectors. They cited the coffee shop for keeping its canine customers happy with free snacks and water.

Cafe Amalfi, located at Battery Wharf in Boston’s North End, is a boutique coffee shop that serves locally roasted Barrington Coffee as well as pastries and breakfast sandwiches.

On Monday, the coffee shop was given a health violation by the city for “encouraging pets to enter by providing a water bowl and dog treats at no charge for customers pets.”

Part of the citation requires the store’s manager to address the issue and discontinue the practice.

Cafe Amalfi did not respond to MassLive’s request for comment.

This is not the first time the cafe has been cited in relation to pets.

In July, the coffee shop was cited multiple times for the same issue of allowing pets inside the store that were not service animals and again for encouraging pets inside with free treats and water bowls.

It failed the health inspection, according to city records.

In January and February 2024, the coffee shop was cited for the same issues, including a further citation for not having a sign anywhere in the facility displaying “No pets / dogs allowed — Service animals only.”

A health inspector also saw a glass food container filled with dog biscuits inside the shop for customers to give to their pets for free. Plus, the health inspector saw two different customers with their dogs walk inside the facility without any questions or hesitation from staff.

However, the city still passed the coffee shop’s health inspection.

In both of those citations, the owners were told they could apply for a variance that would allow dogs on the site under certain conditions.