In the family of oriental patisseries and tea rooms with Lebanese flavors, we call Maison Sibon. Let's hop over to the Left Bank, in Paris's 6th arrondissement, a stone's throw from Bon Marché, to discover this gourmet spot that's sure to please.
Opened just a few months ago, it's a refined new address for lovers of orange blossom and pistachio. At the helm is Stéphanie Lessert, a dietician-nutritionist with a passion for pastries. Of Lebanese origin, this young entrepreneur, whose parents were caterers and steeped her in the world of patisserie, wanted to offer some of her home-grown specialties. To this end, she teamed up with a friend from Maison Sibon in Lebanon, to open the French version in Paris, in partnership.
While the specialties on offer resemble those of the parent company, there are several distinctive features that make the house unique. Maison Sibon Paris uses traditional Lebanese pastry recipes, with the difference that the amount of sugar is reduced to around 40%, when the recipe allows. Stéphanie, a dietician by profession, is very particular about the quality of the products she uses, so she had to offer delicacies that were low in carbohydrates, without losing any of their flavour or taste.
In addition to original ingredients such as pure extracted orange water and orchid sap, the generic ingredients are sourced in France.
So, what can you find at Maison Sibon? When you enter the store, you're drawn to the few tea room tables on one side and the display of homemade ice creams on the other. Indeed, on fine days, the house offers excellent homemade ice creams without cream or eggs. Classic flavors such as Tahitian vanilla, caramel with fleur de sel, chocolate and mango are joined by house specialties such as achta, rose, pistachio, halawa, Lebanese nougat and avocado & honey. The texture is incredible, refreshing without being too heavy, and we recommend it.
In the center, we find the counter on which stands the huge tray and stove of knaffe. Here we find the recipe from the Beirut region, based on semolina and angel hair. Reheated, it can be eaten on a plate, in a brioche bun or even in a chocolate-covered croissant for an original touch.
Not far away, seasonal pastries are unveiled. At the moment, they include The best galettes des rois from pastry shops and bakeries in Paris 2024 for Epiphany
For your 2024 galette des rois, consider galettes from Paris's top patisseries. These houses, some of which are over a hundred years old, focus on the quality of their creations. Lenôtre, Ladurée, Dalloyau or French bastards... we'll love the gourmet pastries, sometimes innovative, sometimes traditional, but always delicious for Epiphany 2024! [Read more], with pistachio and orange blossom, but also with apricot paste for an original twist. We continue along the path to discover the long display of pastries offering baklawas, stouf, maamouls, ghraybehs and other local specialties. You can choose to buy them individually for around €1.50, or by weight.
For lunch, Maison Sibon also offers a range of hot and cold mezzés, including kebbehs, sanbouseks, fatayers and falafels. Bowls of tabbouleh, hummus, mint, pickled raw vegetables and mezze are also available.
And don't hesitate to go to the far end of the store, where you'll find a café serving the famous Lebanese coffee with cardamom, and another dining area where you can relax in comfort. How about an oriental pastry and a cup of tea?
Recommended age
For all
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Open Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Closed Mondays