Summary
Cooking simulators can be great fun, either because of their relaxing, repetitive gameplay or the exciting mania of a busy kitchen. As such, it’s probably not the first category of game that comes to mind when thinking about horror. But what happens when the dream of becoming a chef turns into a nightmare, and the kitchen into hell?
Due to the absurdity of the concept of a horror cooking simulator, many of these games have humorous elements of parody. But that’s not to say players won’t be left shaking and scared to cook their next meal. The games on this list are some of thebest horror cooking simulator games, from frightening fast food restaurants to cursed cafés and haunted street food vans.
9Night Doner
Serve Late Night Snacks At Your Own Risk
InNight Doner,the player takes on the role of a newbie night shift employee at a doner kebab shop after the previous employee suddenly disappeared. They must take and prepare orders from customers, but working alone at night might just prove to be more dangerous than it sounds.
Despite beinga shorter experience,Night Donerdoes well at building a sense of horror through the subtle soundscape and the foreboding warning from the customers. There is something genuinely unsettling about preparing kebabs in the dark quietness of the night.
8At Tony’s
Something Else Roams The Pizzeria
At Tony’sis a pizza cooking simulator. The survival of the family business has fallen upon the protagonist, Joe, after the last night-worker disappeared. The player steps into Joe’s shoes, but as the evenings go on, they discover that something else is in the pizzeria, and the player must find a way to stop whatever it has in store.
The pizza-making segments inAt Tony’sare enjoyable but have an air of tension that will leave the player constantly on the edge of their seat. While the story might not be told in the most innovative way, for gamers looking fora relatively chill horror game, this could be the one.
7Boil Noodles At Night
How Far Would You Go For A Craving?
How scary can boiling noodles possibly be? Inboil Noodles at Night,the protagonist resolves to make some noodles in the hopes that a full stomach will help them get to sleep. However, venturing to the shop so late proves to be a dangerous feat when they return home to find a packet has mysteriously appeared.
Despite being based on such a simple concept — boiling noodles — this game manages to double as a cautionary tale about stranger danger. Overall, it does a lot for a game that has only two locations and limited interactivity.Boil Noodles at Nighthas three different endings.
6Kiosk
Strange Things Happen On The Night Shift
On rainy evenings, a food kiosk can be the saving grace for the cold and hungry night owls.Kioskhas the player working the night shift in a cozy food hut, grilling up hot dogs and burgers for the myriad of customers passing through. But stakes are raised as the fate of the last employee is gradually revealed.
Kioskhas some genuinely hilarious moments, making it great for indiecomedy-horror gamefans. With a range of unique NPCs — some grateful for the service, others bearing foreboding warnings — this game is packed with laughs, mysteries, and scares alike.
5Happy’s Humble Burger Farm
Explores The Horrors Of Fast Food Work
Happy’s Humble Burger Farmhas the player take on the role of a fast food employee, fulfilling a range of duties from cooking to taking out trash and catching rats. Not all is as it seems, however, and exploring the farm and the city will lead to some disturbing discoveries.
While the setting makes it difficult to separate the game fromthe likes ofFive Nights At Freddy’s,any inspiration taken is expanded upon and transformed into an entirely new and horrifying experience. Complete with boss battles, fleshed out lore, and challenging mini-games,Happy’s Humble Burger Farmhas all the makings of a unique game.
4Cooking Companions
The Way To The Heart Really Is Through The Stomach
Cooking Companionsis avisual novel dating simulator with a dark twist. When the protagonist welcomes four hikers lost in the Tatra Mountains into their cabin, all seems well. However, the characters get desperate as torrential rain floods the surrounding area and food supplies begin to dwindle.
The player can unlock recipes to make new dishes, guided by the suspiciously enthusiastic vegetable companions, the ‘chompettes.’ Psychological horror and crime fans should definitely check out thisDoki Doki Literature Club-meets-Cooking Mamagame.
3Ravenous Devils
Manage A Murderous Operation To Rival Sweeny Todd
Ravenous Devilsfollows Hildred and Percival, a murderous duo who have recently set up shop in Victorian London. The player takes control of each in an attempt to run both Hildred’s tavern and Percival’s tailor shop. The catch is, the food is made from human meat and the clothes are unwillingly donated by the victims.
Profits can be used to upgrade equipment and unlock new recipes, but the gameplay is interrupted by cutscenes and events featuring the mysterious “J” who threatens the whole operation. This, alongside the time constraints of serving customers, makesRavenous Devilsa high-pressure experience with anauthentic gothic horror feel.
Set in suburban Japan,The Closing Shiftis one of many horror games by Chilla’s Art. The player takes on the role of a girl working as a barista in “Chilla’s Coffee” shop. They must make and serve customers' orders, but as rumors circulate about ghosts and murderers, the player will begin to dread working the nights.
WhatThe Closing Shiftdoes well is gradually increasing the player’s sense of dread. Beyond the friendly customers and the methodical coffee-making lies a much more disturbing narrative, and the creepy notes that keep appearing will leave the player feeling watched.There are three possible endings.
1Arctic Eggs
Master The Frying Pan
InArctic Eggs,the player wields a frying pan and must set out to feed the inhabitants of a brutalist cityinspired byCowboy Bebop. Each character has their own story to tell and, despite the protagonist playing a seemingly insignificant role, the game focuses on the important social aspect of cooking. The frying element is just as compelling, with the weight and shape of the food inside determining how the player maneuvers the pan.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. The cyberpunk-esque appearance and the cold,unforgiving dystopian landscapecreates a really unsettling atmosphere, and the player will find themselves cooking up some disturbing meals for some unusual personalities. Overall,Arctic Eggsis a very interesting game, and a must-play for any fans of sci-fi horror.
