In December 2025, Westwood, New Jersey, welcomed a new coffee shop unlike any other to its already bustling downtown. Nightshade Coffee, run by owners Katie and Hunter, brings a fully gothic aesthetic to the classic cafe experience.
From the moment you walk through the door, you are immersed in Nightshade’s carefully curated atmosphere. The dark walls of the cafe are lined with gothic art and antiques, many of which are from Katie’s personal collection.
“A lot of the stuff came from my house,” Katie said. “A lot of it is antiques. [I’ve gotten them from] antique shops, estate sales over the years, I’ve got stuff in night markets… [it’s] my growing collection.”
One of the most interesting pieces in the shop is Katie’s favorite: a Victorian mourning piece, which was made after a loved one passed away, with pieces of the deceased’s hair.
“It’s a Victorian mourning piece, so what they used to do back in the late 1800s in the Victorian period is if a family member passed away, they would take their hair. But they would kind of make it into a wreath,” Katie explained.
Katie and Hunter took an unconventional path to becoming business owners. Before opening Nightshade, Katie worked as a hairdresser while Hunter worked in construction.
However, they have proven to make a great team, with Katie’s focus in the shop being on the coffee menu, while Hunter works on the food. And while the decor and vibe intrigued us, we stayed for the distinctive menu. Along with the dark aesthetic of the coffee shop, Nightshade offers creatively crafted gothic-themed drinks and food.
First, we tried the “Cemetery Dust” iced latte, which is a tiramisu latte with mascarpone on top, along with cocoa powder and chocolate ribbons, and it absolutely lived up to the expectations. We found it to be sweet but not overwhelming, and the mascarpone top was everything we hoped it would be.
We also tried “The Cure,” named after the highly influential goth rock band. The drink is lemonade mixed with ceremonial-grade matcha and sparkling water. The matcha flavor was not too overpowering, with the lemonade taste being stronger. This drink was not sweet; rather, it was more sour. This drink was not our favorite, but it was different from something we would usually see, which we liked.
And of course, we had to try a croissant. There were both sweet and savory options, but we opted for a twist on a classic pain au chocolat: the “Midnight Croissant”. The croissant is laced in dark chocolate and topped with black salt and a dusting of powdered sugar, which completes the look. The croissant was perfectly baked, and the chocolate mixed with the black salt provided a nice contrasting flavor. We were happy to see a dark chocolate croissant on the menu, which is a rare find.
Other items on the menu that intrigued us were the “Deadly Nightshade,” which features espresso and housemade blackberry vanilla syrup blended together with blackberry cold foam and sage to top it off, and the “Bella Lucosi,” which is iced chai with housemade cherry vanilla syrup and torched marshmallow cream on top.
Whether you are looking for a new way to immerse yourself in gothic culture or are just looking for a great new spot to grab a latte and a treat, Nightshade Coffee is a must-try.
