Cou Cou is a recently opened Albanian eatery owned by the mother-daughter team of Luli and Ina Tare. Their mission is to bring a taste of Albania to Toronto featuring specialties like their byrek and sourdough. Nestled in the cafe’s window display is a mason jar filled with pink juice and rose petals, crafted using their homemade rose syrup.
Luli and Ina describe Cou Cou as a “casual neighborhood café filled with carbs and joy”. Their lunch menu features sandwiches like the Samune me Qofte, also known as the Albanian Burger, made with ground beef links, lettuce, red onion, and pickles served on a special bread called samune, which is a popular pita-like bread with various variations in Albania. They are renowned for their stunning custom cakes, like this vegan millefoglie:
Cou Cou (a nickname given to Ina as a child) means “crazy” in Albanian. Open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm, Saturday 9am-7pm and Sunday 10am-6pm. 988 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto.
