About Le Café de l'Artisanat

Amir and his wife Kahina are truly fearless—they decided to open their café with their barely one-year-old toddler in their arms, right in the middle of the pandemic.

Having worked as a metalworker in his native Algeria, it was after a five-year stint in cabinetmaking that Amir felt the urge to return to his roots and share the little-known art of copper repoussé in the Belle Province. All he needed was a space to showcase his work… That’s when the idea for an artistic café—which could also serve as an exhibition space—took root.

Not one to do things by halves, he and his wife enlisted the expertise of a barista and a chef to learn the ropes of their new trade and help them put together a menu. While the pandemic months delayed the café’s launch, word of mouth slowly took hold, and neighborhood residents eventually embraced the fresh, daily vegetarian salads and sandwiches offered at the counter.

Everything made at the café is prepared using local and sustainably sourced ingredients. Committed to protecting the environment, Amir and Kahina wanted to use fully compostable packaging from the very beginning.

The duo also donates their unsold items to an organization that provides housing, guidance and support for women in need, as well as to a community fridge initiative in their borough.