Mug Life Crisis – Alt Coffee, Matcha & Board Game Café
WHERE
Blackpool
What it’s like
A board game café where you can grab any game off the shelf, draw on the walls, and browse vintage clothes over a matcha.
Turn up, pick a table, and pull whatever board game takes your fancy off the shelf. There's no booking for games and no time limit mentioned, so it suits a lazy afternoon rather than a quick pit stop. Bring your own games too, if your family's got a favourite that's not on their shelves, they say to make yourself at home.
The walls are fair game for drawing and graffiti, which is a nice one for kids who've been told off for doing exactly that everywhere else. There's local art to look at while you're waiting for drinks, and a rail of vintage clothing to browse if the grown-ups want something to do while the game's still going. Monday brings a free crafts club, which is the one to build a visit around if you've got a free Monday afternoon.
Food-wise it's coffee, matcha and cakes, with vegan, gluten-free and standard options, and oat, almond or soy milk if anyone's dairy-free. It's not a big kids' menu, more a proper café list that happens to welcome board games and doodling. Getting there is easy without a car, it's a five-minute walk from Blackpool North Station and the North Station tram stop, with trams every 15 minutes, plus a few bus routes stopping right outside.
If you want the back room for a workshop, craft group or similar, that's bookable separately from the main café space.
Facilities
Need to know
- Food
- Coffee, matcha, cakes (vegan, gluten-free, and standard options available
- Getting there by bus or train
- Blackpool North Station 5-minute walk
- Games are help-yourself, no need to ask or book a table for them
- Walls are meant for drawing and graffiti, so don't hold anyone back
- Monday's crafts club is free
- Vintage clothing rail is there to browse alongside the games and art
Plan your visit
Do we need to book to play games?
No, there's no booking required, just turn up and pick a game.
Can we bring our own board game from home?
They're happy for you to bring your own and make yourself at home.
What food and drink is there?
Coffee, matcha and cakes, with vegan, gluten-free and standard options, plus oat, almond or soy milk.
How do we get there without driving?
It's a five-minute walk from Blackpool North Station and the North Station tram stop, and bus routes 21, 24, 61 and 68 stop a minute away.
Is there anything free to do?
There's a free crafts club on Mondays.
Can we book a space for a group event?
The back room can be booked for workshops, talks or craft groups.
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