Hidden Gem: Bono Coffee

With the highest altitude in Africa, Ethiopia offers the perfect climate for the sensitive arabica beans and is the birthplace of coffee. In this place, coffee is deeply ingrained in the day-to-day culture of living and is an important part of the social fabric. The boona ceremony is how folks welcome one another to their homes by hand roasting beans and brewing them in a clay pot before serving in small cups meant for savouring the full-bodied, aromatic coffee.

It’s this sense of reverence, celebration and togetherness Dawit Wubie and Danait Tesfay have aimed to create with their Bono Coffee roastery and cafe tucked inconspicuously into a commercial complex in the city’s southeast. Dealing only with farmers they know and trust, the couple imports Ethiopian beans and roasts them onsite to create thoughtful and delicious blends of light, medium and dark roasts. With another location set to open in Bridgeland in the new year, the team at Bono aims to grow intentionally in order to maintain the quality afforded by smaller-batch brewing. We loved the fruity Red Fox blend, which is available at the counter, by the bag or through the company’s convenient subscription program that ensures you’re never out of fresh coffee.

Bono Coffee | 4704 Manhattan Rd. S.E. | 403.796.3505 | bonocoffee.ca