A few weeks ago, I got off at the Bréguet-Sabin metro stop in the 11th arrondissement of Paris with the best of intentions: to take advantage of the famous Bastille Market despite the heavy rain. Although I managed to walk through the entire market (which, I must say, is quite large!), I ended up buying nothing and taking shelter under a tent, where I proceeded to look for a quiet place to eat while waiting for the weather to clear up.
Luckily, thanks to my habit of extensively researching restaurants, bakeries, and cafés before arriving in a given city, it didn’t take me long to realize that I was right next to Diamande, an Algerian pastry shop I had been eager to visit.
As soon as I stepped into the small boutique on the corner of Rue Sedaine and Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, I was dazzled by the variety of colors and textures in the pastry display. In fact, the first thing I said to Othmane, the co-owner of the shop, was that I felt like I was looking at little works of art!
As I was making my selection, Othmane told me about his background: “I was in Germany before, I studied French pastry in Berlin, and then when I came here […] I thought, why not make our pastries—Algerian pastries?” During one of his work experiences in France, he met Fayçal, a former economist who, having always dreamed of opening his own pastry shop, earned a diploma in pastry arts in Algeria. Together, the two colleagues developed the idea of “opening a small shop” and “revisiting Algerian pastries” by reducing the amount of sugar and offering them in smaller portions. “That way, people can eat two, three, even four pastries at once.”
“We started very slowly in a small garage, and then we found the shop in 2011,” Othmane explained. When I asked how Parisians first received the pastries, he mentioned, “It was a bit tough in the first few years [but] now we’re very happy. Honestly, things have been going really well here. The key is simply to love what you do.”
Another factor in their success? The quality of their ingredients. As the name suggests, the pastries at Diamande (a combination of the words Diamond [Diamant] and Almond [Amande]), whether traditional or innovative, are almond-based. Their creations celebrate the versatility of the beloved nut by pairing it with floral flavors (such as lavender, jasmine, and violet), fruity notes (like lime, blackcurrant, and mango), spices (including basil, cardamom, and rosemary), nuts (such as pistachio, hazelnut, and pecan), and even chocolate.
If I had to choose my favorites among the ones I tasted, I’d go with the Poppy Clover, the Raspberry & Litchi Dziriette (a traditional Algerian almond-filled pastry), the Chocolate Baklawa, and the Pimento with almond, hazelnut, and chili—not just for their originality, but also for their varied textures and subtle flavors. That said, there are still so many others I can’t wait to try on my next visit to Paris!
Speaking of travel, when I explained to Othmane that I am a digital nomad from Canada, he told me, “We’ve had customers coming from Canada since almost the beginning, and every time they’re here, they sit down for tea or a pastry. The day before they leave, they always buy a few pastries to take with them.” (Note: “You can keep the pastries for over a week at room temperature since there’s no cream inside.”)
For Othmane and Fayçal, Canada represents a land of opportunity: “My colleague and I talk about this often—we’d love to open a small shop in Canada or Japan because we already have quite a few Japanese customers who come here.” The challenge, however, is training people. Since they are the ones making and selling the pastries, “It’s a bit tough to find reliable people who can take over and pass on the expertise. For now, we’ve found a young apprentice. He’s gradually learning the ropes with us.”
If you’re in Paris and want to learn more about Algerian pastries, keep in mind that Diamande offers immersive half-day workshops where you can take part in making their delicious treats, setting up the display case, and, of course, a tea and pastry tasting.
Otherwise, to satisfy your sweet cravings, don’t hesitate to visit Diamande at any time of the day and indulge in their exquisite “diamandises”!
Visit Diamande Pâtisserie:
Address: 4 rue Sedaine, 75011 Paris
Website: diamande.fr
Instagram: @diamande_patisserie
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