The Ancestor Cafe: The Fraser Valley's new Indigenous and female-owned spot
The Fraser Valley’s newest Indigenous food joint just opened in Fort Langley, and we got to visit The Ancestor Cafe on its opening day to try some of its signature dishes.
And it was seriously delicious.
The cafe hosted a stunning display of dishes created by Chef Sarah Meconse Mierau, owner of Tradish and member of the First Nation Sayisi Dene. Each dish combined a variety of traditional Indigenous ingredients, including bannock tacos, hand-made jams, and baked goods.
Elk and vegan bannock tacos at the Ancestor Cafe (Beth Rochester/Daily Hive)
My first treat was the elk bannock tacos, and they did not disappoint. The bannock was fresh and light and acted as the perfect finger-food spoon to scoop up the juicy elk taco accompaniment.
What’s even better is that they have a vegan version of the tacos for all vegetarian and vegan visitors. The vegan version of the tacos is just as tasty.
Sweet Baked Bannock at the Ancestor Cafe (Beth Rochester/Daily Hive)
But if you have more of a sweet tooth then you should try one of the cafe’s sweet baked bannock treats. These bannock bites were to die for. They were sweet without being overbearing, and the subtle hints of lavender made for the perfect finishing touch.
Describing how she came up with the menu, Mierau said that she was guided by her ancestors.
“With the menu, every single thing I believe has come to me in a dream,” said Mireau.
While this spot has incredible food that caters to a variety of dietary restrictions, it also shines a light on Indigenous culture.
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The Ancestor Cafe collaborates with local Indigenous communities to get their supplies, ensuring ingredients are ethically sourced whenever possible.
When these ethical sources are unavailable, Mierau and her team make tobacco offerings to honour their ancestors.
“Everything’s organic and locally sourced from the land that we live on which is really important to our protocol,” said Mierau.
There are also a series of Indigenous products available for purchase around the store. The walls are adorned with various artworks by Indigenous creators and there are a variety of plant-based products, including handcrafted plant medicine jams.
“Culture saves lives, as soon as I started diving into my culture, my life has flourished in so many ways,” said Mierau.
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The Ancestor Cafe
Address: 23433 Mavis Avenue, Fort Langley
Ancestor Cafe can be found inside the Fort Langley National Historic Site. Visitors coming just for the cafe can get reduced entry fees into the site for just $10.
With files from Marco Ovies
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