For over a decade, Richmond’s Aberdeen Centre has seen its fair share of ups and downs with food establishments.
While the food court and Sura have been long-standing stars, other spots have struggled to find their footing.
One example is the former Gram Cafe, which fell in 2023 as part of a broader collapse of its four BC locations.
Similarly, the two units by the main entrance have faced ongoing turnover, with Le Doux Ciel briefly occupying the Spirit Tea unit before vacating just months later.
Since June 2023, that space has been empty or used as storage for the malls’ fountain props.
That is until now!
The left entrance unit is finally seeing some excitement as one of our community members (@jesh.9027) spotted signage of Uncle Tetsu, the beloved global Japanese cheesecake brand.
This will be Uncle Tetsu’s first Richmond outpost.
Uncle Tetsu was born out of the passion of Tetsushi Mizokami, who grew up immersed in baking at his parents’ cake shop in Japan.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Tetsushi launched various food ventures, including izakaya and restaurants, but it was in 1990 that he established the first Uncle Tetsu shop, which would change the cheesecake game forever.
Famous for its soft, fluffy Japanese Cheesecake, Uncle Tetsu offers an open-concept kitchen where everything is made fresh in front of customers.
The brand made its BC debut in May 2018 at Burnaby’s Metrotown, drawing massive crowds and long lines for months.
A second location opened on Robson Street in downtown Vancouver, and now it’s Richmond’s turn to enjoy these famous cheesecakes.
In addition to their signature Japanese Cheesecake, Richmond locals can look forward to grabbing honey madeleines and rusk from Uncle Tetsu’s newest spot at Aberdeen Centre.
While the opening date hasn’t been announced yet, the signage does say it will be opening in Fall 2024.
But it’s clear that Uncle Tetsu’s arrival is part of a larger trend of exciting food spots making their way to Richmond.
With the likes of Gyubee, Bellwether, and HeyTea also on the horizon, Richmond’s food scene is set for a serious glow-up.
Don’t forget to share this exciting news with your fellow cheesecake lovers!
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: Aberdeen Centre Mall – 4173 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond BC