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Opened in 2017, Congolinária is a restaurant based in the Sumaré neighborhood of Brazil's largest city.
![Main cover](http://images.ctfassets.net/8otutru2e44g/9VIibAzkPYVAoUK4Zq7FL/d104ff913cdf73c6c78dd71537d9a506/Congolina_ria_Inset_6.jpg?w=1600&h=1600&fl=progressive&q=80&fm=jpg)
According to owner Pitchou Luhata Luambo, there's been ‘a lot of change’ in the local vegan food scene in the past few years.
![Main cover](http://images.ctfassets.net/8otutru2e44g/2Ftxs4Ml6fUQBS5ztYfTYV/8755883353f9dc1f383a486047449ed3/Congolina_ria_Inset_3.jpg?w=1600&h=1600&fl=progressive&q=80&fm=jpg)
‘When I started, there was prejudice against veganism in Brazil. Nowadays, there's a greater acceptance. In Congo, people eat more vegetables than meat. I saw this as an opportunity.’
![Main cover](http://images.ctfassets.net/8otutru2e44g/3yFbCFUxDct12KDNlbyqoL/88626f9e63d4f6be35aafc279e0e195f/Congolina_ria_Inset_2.jpg?w=1600&h=1600&fl=progressive&q=80&fm=jpg)
Congolinária's most popular dish is ngombe, a gnocchi made from plantains, served with a shimeji sauce, fufu and simba, a Congolese rice pilaf.
![Main cover](http://images.ctfassets.net/8otutru2e44g/22VYGsuiPY7ExXJ9PDbXPE/6e516578cf25c41ed432b7db6e67d581/Congolina_ria_Inset_5.jpg?w=1600&h=1600&fl=progressive&q=80&fm=jpg)
‘I took typical dishes and adapted them so that Brazilians can identify with them. The dishes [are] slightly different than in the Congo,’ Pitchou says.
![Main cover](http://images.ctfassets.net/8otutru2e44g/7JgF1q9QFKI3lj7Asqfpdk/388351dd564d342c2957f6570335ab07/Congolina_ria_Inset_4.jpg?w=1600&h=1600&fl=progressive&q=80&fm=jpg)
May 14, 2022