Inside Café Russo, the new Black-owned Roncesvalles spot built by two siblings in their 20s

Before Café Russo ever served its first vinyl shot latte, it existed in pieces on TikTok. An empty Roncesvalles storefront. Slowly, elements came together — burgundy chairs, vinyl records and logo. Soon, the dream of two siblings in their 20s turned into a Black-owned café ready for the public.

Owner Rakiya Abdullahi and her brother and acting manager Suleiman shared major milestones on their social media page as they opened their coffee shop.

@cafe.russo #smallbusinessowner #cafe #cafeowner #fyp #supportsmallbusiness ♬ original sound – 𝒶𝓂𝒶𝒾 🌀☀️

This TikTok compilation video specifically shared some of their moments braving Canada’s winter and picking up furniture.

Why open a coffee shop at such a young age?

Rakiya comes from a background in international development studies and has always loved cafés — just being able to get outside of the home and relax.

Coming from a Nigerian family, she shared that her parents have instilled in her the importance of family, so when looking for a business partner, choosing her like-minded brother made sense.

While currently in their 20s, the duo said opening a business in Toronto seemed “scary and exciting” at first, but Rakiya hopes she inspires others to do the same. “I want people in their 20s to know that you don’t have to be in your 30s or 40s to start a business.”

They sought out advice from other business owners to keep learning. “I spoke to some professionals, people in business. I didn’t just do it alone… I had a business consultant… I did a lot of walking around and just speaking to business owners and getting advice,” Rakiya said.

She advises any up-and-coming business owner to speak to professionals and those in the business.

Behind the café’s concept

“It’s more than the coffee, it’s more than the matcha. It’s more about the experience,” Rakiya said.

Café Russo also serves as a listening lounge with a vinyl record player with classical music in the background. 

To make the café special, she curated a menu with unique drink flavours, and Suleiman was behind the vinyl idea, inspired by his love for classical music.

Staying on theme, Café Russo even offers a vinyl shot latte — Rakiya’s personal favourite. “It’s not too sweet, it has the cold foam. It also has cinnamon on top and condensed milk. I would say it’s very creamy, but not too sweet. It’s a very balanced drink,” she said.

Other drinks are tailored to have something for everyone in the community. Drinks with cold foam for those who love something sweet, trendy or colourful, as well as regular drinks.

Then, they both wanted to create a cozy and warm vibe and went through the details with their designer. With a mockup, they had a clear idea of what their café would look like.

The siblings sourced the chairs, tables and everything in the shop. In terms of colours, they wanted burgundy as it brings warmth.

@cafe.russo #thingstodo #toronto #coffeetiktok #matcha #foryoupage ♬ Dracula (JENNIE Remix) – Tame Impala & JENNIE

When are they opening?

Café Russo had already soft-opened a few weeks ago, which felt so rewarding for the owners. “Oh my gosh, it was nerve-wracking. I was very nervous because we’ve been doing this for like three months,” Rakiya said.

Construction was initially scheduled to take 30 days, but delays pushed it to about 3 months. But the wait was worth it. “Having our friends and family come in, try our drinks and give their feedback actually felt like it was very rewarding. I felt like all the effort we put into it was worth it,” Rakiya said.

​Café Russo is open to the public now, with its grand opening held on Saturday. 

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The café is located at 139 Roncesvalles Ave and regular hours are Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.