Top 5 Spots for French-Style Pastries in Kinshasa

If you’ve got a sweet tooth in Kinshasa, consider it bonjour and bon appétit. Despite the city’s tropical heat and traffic jams, you can still duck into a café and feel like you’ve been whisked to Paris or at least a très chic corner of it. Kinshasa’s patisseries and boulangeries channel the DRC’s Francophone flair into flaky croissants, creamy éclairs, and baguettes that crackle when you break them. From long-standing local favorites to new arrivals from overseas, here are five spots serving French-style sweets that would make any Parisian expat nod in approval. Bring your dollars (or francs) and an empty stomach le dessert is served!

1. La Pâtisserie Nouvelle (Utexafrica & Gombe) : Kinshasa’s Croissant Classic

This iconic patisserie has been a staple for years, and it’s often the first name locals drop when you ask, “Where’s the best pain au chocolat in town?” With two locations (the main one at Utexafrica in Gombe, plus an older downtown spot), Pâtisserie Nouvelle delivers exactly what its name promises: a nouvelle experience of European baking in Kinshasa. The vibe is casual old-school café think rattan chairs, neat pastry displays, and the smell of butter and coffee wrapping around you. It’s the place for Sunday family brunch or a mid-morning espresso and tart. In fact, many Kinois love starting their week here; the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee and just-baked viennoiseries is basically therapy on a Monday see it on Instagram.

On the menu,

you’ll find buttery croissants, éclairs, fruit tarts, and crusty baguettes, plus surprisingly good ice cream (yes, you can get gelato in the tropics). Prices are fairly reasonable for the quality: around $5 (≈11,000 CDF) can get you a pastry and a coffee, while a more elaborate breakfast or lunch crêpe might run up to $15–18 (≈30,000–36,000 CDF) for those splurging. It’s worth it portions are generous and the pastry craft is on point. Service is usually good (in Kinshasa that’s not a given), and there’s even a kids’ play area at the Utex location, making it popular with families.

Local tip: 

Try their baguette sandwiches if you need something savory; they’re as authentic as any Parisian café’s. And if you visit the original “Old Nouvelle” downtown, don’t mind the dated decor the babas au rhum and macarons taste just as heavenly. Au final, Pâtisserie Nouvelle remains a Kinshasa classic for a reason, blending Belgian/French baking know-how with Congolese joie de vivre in every bite.

2. Eric Kayser: Artisanal Boulangerie with a Modern Twist

When this famous French artisan boulanger set up shop in Kinshasa, expats and well-heeled locals alike rejoiced. Eric Kayser brought a slice of Paris to the Congo, complete with two stylish locations (one in the swanky Kin Plaza mall and another near City Market in Gombe). Step inside and you’ll be greeted by a sleek interior and the sight of golden baguettes and delicate petits fours lined up like edible art. In fact, the bakers here see themselves as artists “la boulangerie… est un art, une passion,” they proclaim.

From crusty sourdough loaves to glossy berry tarts, everything is crafted with that ethos of perfection (their raspberry tart had Instagram in a frenzy “impossible de résister!” and after one bite you’ll agree see it on Instagram).