I saw this one online and I knew I wanted to visit the next time I was out in Abbotsford, and today was that day.
Located in an industrial business plaza you would not know to go, or that it was here by driving by. A single coffin sign marks the way, and the interior with its reflective mirrored surface doesn’t really speak much to what is within.
Serving coffee, sandwiches, soups, and pastries. This is your standard cafe, serving those in their immediate vicinity, but with a macabre twist.
Not just for spooky season, but they do this all year. Decor includes a gumball machine of doll parts, a box of deer hoofs, and horned animal skulls all greeting you at the door.
On the bottom floor is where you place your order and can shop some of their spooky wares to take home as souvenirs. The latter of which included blood soaked knife earrings, creepy black and white postcards, plus novelty kitchen utensils.
Their drink assortment includes flavoured coffee and/or cream based beverages with spooky names. “The Sinner, The Saint, The Resurrection, and The Ascension”; available all year round with flavours like raspberry syrup and ube cream. Or look to their current Spooky Sips drink menu with names referencing Halloween monsters in comforting flavours like burnt sugar, salted caramel, matcha, and caramel apple.
We ordered a drink from each menu. The “Burnt Offering” is espresso, browned butter, pumpkin spice, and steamed milk. Lovely enough but there was hardly any pumpkin spice. If I didn’t order it, I would not have been able to tell what this was imitating.
Sadly, “The Saint” with Lucid Dreams Tea, Ube, vanilla syrup, and milk was no different. On the sweeter side with little ube flavouring and none of its iconic purple colouring. Sadly, we were more impressed by their creative names than the drink themselves.
I was not hungry enough to try their Greek wrap or barley soup special of the day, but could not pass up grabbing one of their coffin shaped, stuffed raspberry pastries. This was basically a strudel that matched their logo and theme. Had there been more such goodies, I would have ordered them too. I would have loved to see more of their creative concept bleed into their food. Coffin shaped sandwich picks. Chocolate brownies decorated with edible candied tombstones and crushed up cookie dirt. Anything to add whimsy and make it all the more memorable.
However, I guess you come for the setting anyways. The cafe bar is surrounding by interesting artifacts that will keep your head spinning and your eyes searching.
Upstairs is their lounge is available for extended seating. Brightly lit and fashioned with a lounge chair, it is less spooky despite the coffin shaped coffee table, antique furnishings that look like they have a story, collection of skulls, dish of teeth, and baby carriage of doll heads.
In short Black Casket is a fun stop when in the area and a spot to get you amped up for spooky season, or all year round.
Black Casket Cafe
30468 Great Northern Ave, Abbotsford, BC V2T 6Y6
(778) 347-7476
blackcasketcafe.com
