When people think of Abbotsford, they might think of the countryside and big farms, but what if we told you it’s actually a food paradise?
At just a little over an hour’s drive away from Vancouver, Abbotsford is the perfect spot for a day’s worth of foodie adventures.
Dished had the chance to pay Abbotsford a visit and check out all the great eats it has to offer.
From fresh house-made pasta to berry wines, here are our suggestions of where to hit up for the perfect foodie day out in Abbotsford
Aurora Roasters
Start your morning right with one of the coolest cafes in the city: Aurora Roasters. Featuring plenty of dark wood tones and unique interiors, you’ll instantly fall in love with this cafe. And we haven’t even talked about the food yet.
During our visit, we tried maybe a few too many items on the menu, considering we had a full day’s worth of eating ahead of us.
Highlights include a sandwich we can’t stop thinking about: the prosciutto on a homemade baguette. It includes havarti, cranberry sauce, and arugula. Get it toasted, and you’re in for a real treat.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
We also tried the smoked salmon on a multigrain croissant with dill cream cheese, caramelized onions, avocado, and mixed greens. If you’re looking for something a little lighter than the prosciutto, this will be right up your alley.
And don’t worry — Aurora also offers a line of equally tasty baked goods, including viral treats like this flattened pistachio croissant.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
After visiting Aurora, we recommend walking off the food and checking out the shops around Abbotsford. From retro video games to cute boutiques and even board game stores, there are so many unique local businesses in and around the city. Even celebrities like Bethenny Frankel are obsessed with everything Abbotsford has to offer.
Address: 2615 Montrose Avenue, Abbotsford
The Pastry Portal
Next on our list was The Pastry Portal, an out-of-this-world spot for some tasty treats. If you’re a fan of anything sweet, you’ll be obsessed with this bakery.
The Pastry Portal has a weekly rotating lineup of unique pastries (which is posted to its Instagram), so there will always be something new to try.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
We got our hands on a strawberry-glazed croissant and an incredibly moist Funfetti Oreo Cheesecake Bar. If only we hadn’t eaten so much at Aurora, we would have demolished all the offerings at The Pastry Portal.
Address: 2553 Montrose Avenue, Abbotsford
Maan Farms
After a day full of carbs, you need something fresh to lighten the load. Fresh strawberries are just the thing for that. Or, if you’re anything like us, some strawberry wine might be the direction you end up instead.
We ended up tasting a couple of Maan’s wines, including its cherry bourbon, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry rhubarb, and Mad Apple.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Immediate favourites were easily the blueberry and strawberry rhubarb, which will please wine aficionados and novices alike. They were so good we ended up taking a couple of bottles home with us (with the intention of sharing these with friends of course, though that may or may not have happened). But don’t worry, you won’t have to make the trek to Abbotsford each time you want a bottle. These wines are also available at liquor stores across Metro Vancouver.
After enjoying these sips, we also had the chance to visit all the adorable animals living on the farm. There’s something special about hanging out with pigs after pigging out on food. Plus, there are so many great Instagrammable spots on the farm as well that you can easily spend an hour or two just exploring.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Address: 790 McKenzie Road, Abbotsford
To end your day, you need to visit one of the best pasta spots around: Amici Wine Bar.
One of the newest restaurants in the city, stepping into Amici feels like you’re walking into a family-run restaurant straight out of Italy. There’s a main dining area, a patio out back, and a downstairs bar, which is where we ended up dining. It featured moody lighting and plenty of natural wood accents. Italian posters and records were hung up on the walls.
To start, you need to try the focaccia. An entire section of its menu is dedicated to the bread — five different kinds, to be exact. When we visited, we were recommended the aglio rosmarino, which was focaccia seasoned with rosemary and garlic. If you love garlic bread, then you’re definitely going to like this. Plus, these pieces or focaccia are long. One order will be plenty to share with two people.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Amici also has different cocktails on the menu. We (and at least half of the restaurant) were drinking the limoncello spritz, which came with limoncello, luxardo maraschino, elderflower liqueur, honey, lemon, prosecco, and soda.
Those looking for a non-alcoholic option will be happy to find different Italian sodas on the menu. We tried the Molecola, which is an Italian cola that will delight all Coca-Cola fans.
We tried two different entrees, and honestly, we’re not sure which one we liked more.
First up was Amici’s hand-made stuffed pasta. This is its rotating feature pasta, and during our visit, Amici featured a lemon ricotta dish. It was served with pickled shallots and this tasty pesto sauce. So light and fresh, this is the perfect summer pasta.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
The other dish we tried was the mushroom gnocchi. You haven’t tried gnocchi until you’ve had it from Amici. Each little pillow of happiness is made in-house and is so tender. This dish is the perfect comfort food for those colder nights.
But if this article teaches you only one thing, it’s that you need to try Amici’s tiramisu. It’s decadent and delicious, and you will devour it within minutes. You could share this dessert between two people, but you might have more fun if you get one just for yourself.
Marco Ovies/Daily Hive
Address: 33724 Essenene Avenue, Abbotsford
These spots are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Abbotsford food scene. There are plenty of other great restaurants in the city, whether you’re looking for a casual bite or a more elevated dining experience.
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