lecaire

This Egyptian grocery store in Belleville is a true institution!

undefined undefined 26 avril 2025 undefined 13h00

The Editor

Hugo Dominguez

You could walk by without noticing it. A simple storefront, almost faded, at 60 Belleville Street. Inside, however, a whole new world unfolds. A world rich, vibrant, infused with distant scents and familiar gestures. This is Adel's realm, the guardian of this place for over two decades, who has turned this little grocery store into a refuge for Eastern flavors, a hangout for regulars and the curious alike.

The épicerie Le Caire truly lives up to its name: you step in as if entering a silent souk, a thousand leagues away from the hustle and bustle of rue de Belleville. On the shelves: mountains of spices, bags of dried fruits, jars of plump olives, dried herbs, bottles of orange blossom water, and canned goods you won't find anywhere else. Everything seems to come from a distant place, right at your fingertips. And everything, or almost everything, is prepared, cooked, or carefully selected by Adel, with the precision of someone passionate who leaves nothing to chance.

Adel, the soul of the épicerie

Adel is the soul of the épicerie. Born in Cairo and arrived in Paris in the 90s, he first worked in the restaurant industry before opening his own shop, with the desire to "bring to life here what he couldn't find anywhere else." Discreet yet warm, precise without being pedantic, he knows his products better than anyone. What he loves most? The exchanges, the impromptu advice, the regulars who come in to...take a bottle of molasses and come out with a recipe for foul, ladies, tucked in their pockets. His grocery store is a bit like his home, and everyone who stops by is, in a way, his guest.

For a Basket Full of Goodies

Here, there’s no folklore, just homemade Egyptian falafels, warm spinach ftayers, a delicate, silky artichoke cream, tarama, and mana’ich with zaatar that you take away while already dreaming of coming back. The scent of cumin lingers in the air, mixed with the comforting aroma of warm bread. You walk in for a bag of pistachios, and you walk out with dozens of spice packets and often, a heart that feels a little lighter. 

The grocery store is woven into the intimate fabric of Belleville, a neighborhood where kitchens cross paths, intertwine, and respond to each other. Far from standardized brands, Le Caire reminds us that there are still, in Paris, shops filled with passion, heritage, and memory. Places where they sell much more than just products: a way of being in the world, humble and generous.

Épicerie Le Caire
60 rue de Belleville – 19e
Tuesday to Sunday – 10:30 AM to 9 PM
06 10 81 35 48