MACON, Ga. — You can experience the flavors of Louisiana and Ethiopia at a new restaurant in downtown Macon.
"Of course, Yay Beignet, we have beignets," Owner George Drake said. "Our beignets are light, fluffy. We come in every day and start making our dough at 5 in the morning. Everything's made in-house."
Drake is from Metehara, Ethiopia.
He says Yay Beignet is a fusion of his Ethiopian heritage and his culinary experience studying with chefs in New Orleans.
The restaurant, of course, sells beignets as well as Cajun shrimp and grits, po'boys, Bourbon Street spaghetti, pimento cheese grits and more.
"It's a take on New Orleans but it's different with an Ethiopian splash," Drake said.
The restaurant was originally located in Atlanta but Drake said he had a customer who would always come up from Macon to get a taste of their beignets.
"In Atlanta, you can kind of get lost in the mix of everything else that's going on so this is a perfect fit for us," he said.
When Drake moved to Macon, he noticed a lack of options for people to try Ethiopian cuisine.
On Tuesdays, you can enjoy their special Ethiopian menu with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony where everything is hand-ground and roasted.
"I was surprised when Ethiopian Tuesdays kind of took off. So there is a need for it and a desire for it," Drake said.
The restaurant has been open for a little over a month and he says he's been well-received by the community and his neighbors, Macon Water Ice and Theatre Macon.
Drake says he wants people to come in and give them a try.
"I like seeing other people come out and enjoy their meals," he said. "I like to see families come in and dine in, I like to see them happy when they leave and excited about coming back. I enjoy feeding people so that's my passion."
Yay Beignet is located at 442 Cherry Street right next to Theatre Macon.