The beignet is becoming increasingly popular in Toronto thanks to Congo Coffee and Beignets founder, Nia Bangala, and her mouthwatering original recipe.
For those unfamiliar with exactly what a beignet is, it is, essentially, deep fried dough. Unlike other traditional beignets though, Bangala's melt in your mouth––they are lighter and more complex than an everyday regular donut, with a thin, crispy shell. They are made to order and served with your choice of toppings such as powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, whipped cream, ice cream, as well as a variety of syrups and sauces to top it all off.
Bangala started out as a humanitarian, looking for ways to raise money for the causes that spoke to her. She was looking for a solution and after stumbling upon the coffee industry, she knew she had found her calling. With a strong connection to her Congolese ancestry, she wanted to raise awareness of the country's richness in resources. as well as support its economic projects.
When she opened the café back in 2019, she knew her single-origin Congolese coffee needed to be paired with something unique––something Toronto would love and want to line up for. Having been born in Europe and growing up in Canada, she tried a lot of pastries that were reminiscent of the traditional African beignets, but the taste wasn't quite mainstream enough for what she wanted to bring to Toronto.
Bangala developed her own beignet recipe that became an instant sensation, catching the attention of many foodies who have since flocked to get their hands on her delicious treats. Coffee & Beignets has been an inspiration to others in the business community, growing from being a small table at Christmas markets to being one of Toronto's hottest new doughnut shops.
The shop also serves an assortment of delicious beverages, like her signature caramel cappuccino and iced-coffees, with homemade frozen espresso ice cubes to best preserve the coffee's flavour. Also on the must-try list is the 'One Night in Rio'––a colourful, fresh and fruity drink with ginger, lime and kiwi.
Congo Coffee and Beignets is located at 298 Gerrard Street East and is open from Tuesday to Sunday for takeout and delivery through third party apps. Orders can also be placed online at congo-coffee.com.
