Morning fog created abstract patterns on the window of the shopfront. It was a dreary day in Paris, but stepping into Harvest coffee shop, which opened in mid-November 2024, offered a cozy escape from the chill of winter. Farimah Fattahi greeted us with her warm hazel eyes, dressed in a monochromatic outfit that harmonized with the shop’s wooden, lime, and ceramic decor.
The name Harvest aptly reflects the challenging journey that the 32-year-old, originally from Tehran, has navigated to establish her own coffee shop, supported by a team of three. “We’re open every day; the weeks can be hectic, but every morning when I arrive, I have to pinch myself to believe it’s real. I’ve dreamed of this coffee shop for years and have poured all my knowledge into it.”
As the third of four siblings, Fattahi was raised in a traditional Iranian household. Following in her elder sister’s footsteps, she initially pursued a degree in food engineering, but her love for coffee inspired her to explore a different path. At 25, she became the only woman to enroll in a slow coffee course in a country that predominantly favors tea and is largely unfamiliar with anything beyond black coffee. Despite her father’s reservations, Fattahi was determined to follow her passion.
Seasonal Menu Highlights
In Tehran, she engaged in contracts at various cafés, gaining insights into endurance and management while honing her skills in specialty coffee. With the encouragement of her husband, Saeid, who pursued his studies in Leuven, Belgium, she participated in numerous barista competitions. In 2019, she joined him, and the couple relocated to France the following year. “On my very first day in Paris, I had an interview at a coffee shop!”
The Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns disrupted her progress but provided her with the chance to concentrate on learning French. Once cafés reopened, she trained at some of the finest establishments, mastering the art of creating intricate designs in milk foam and utilizing the Aeropress to delve into the subtleties of single-origin coffees.
In the spring of 2023, while cycling down Rue de la Roquette, she discovered an available space and decided to take the leap. She faced neither the administrative processes nor the construction challenges with fear. A year and a half later, Harvest was established. Fattahi remained steadfast in her vision: a concise seasonal menu, milk sourced from Ferme de Viltain to minimize packaging, and beans selected from KB Coffee Roasters in Pigalle. At the heart of her café is a stunning Kees van der Westen machine from the Netherlands, proudly displayed on the counter.
Seasonal Menu Highlights
In Tehran, she engaged in contracts at various cafés, gaining insights into endurance and management while honing her skills in specialty coffee. With the encouragement of her husband, Saeid, who pursued his studies in Leuven, Belgium, she participated in numerous barista competitions. In 2019, she joined him, and the couple relocated to France the following year. “On my very first day in Paris, I had an interview at a coffee shop!”
The Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns disrupted her progress but provided her with the chance to concentrate on learning French. Once cafés reopened, she trained at some of the finest establishments, mastering the art of creating intricate designs in milk foam and utilizing the Aeropress to delve into the subtleties of single-origin coffees.
In the spring of 2023, while cycling down Rue de la Roquette, she discovered an available space and decided to take the leap. She faced neither the administrative processes nor the construction challenges with fear. A year and a half later, Harvest was established. Fattahi remained steadfast in her vision: a concise seasonal menu, milk sourced from Ferme de Viltain to minimize packaging, and beans selected from KB Coffee Roasters in Pigalle. At the heart of her café is a stunning Kees van der Westen machine from the Netherlands, proudly displayed on the counter.
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