Delice Macarons Brings a Bit of France to Downtown Cranford

Pierre Chahine grew up in France with his father working as a chef. Pierre decided at a young age to follow in his father's footsteps, graduating from culinary school to be a baker and then training under French chefs. In March 2016, Pierre traveled to the United States with a friend to open a business together. After a few years, Pierre decided that the time was right to open his own pastry shop. Friends in the area pointed him to Cranford and Pierre agreed that it would be a great fit for what he envisioned. Pierre reached out to the Downtown Cranford Director and, as luck would have it, a space that fit his needs was available. In early January, Delice Macarons opened its doors at 19 Eastman Street.

Pierre and his partner, Raja Iqdeimal, worked to make Delice Macarons an inviting space that serves up a variety of French pastries, sandwiches, and coffee. The brightly colored macarons are one of the first treats that will catch your eye when you walk inside. There are currently a dozen flavors offered, including Birthday Cake, Cookies and Cream, Cotton Candy, Pistachio, Raspberry, Salted Caramel, and more. Mousse cakes in a variety of flavors (pistachio, raspberry, hazelnut, and more) line the cases and make for a delicious treat that isn't overly sweet. Croissants and pain au chocolat pair perfectly with the selection of coffee and tea drinks available. Pierre is also thrilled to offer kuign amann, a pastry that's been described as a "caramelized croissant." For those who come by later in the day, Delice Macarons serves up croissant and brioche sandwiches. Sandwich options include ham/turkey and cheese, brie and butter, mozzarella, pesto and tomatoes, tuna, and more.

Delice Macarons is currently open from 7AM-7PM 6 days a week, closed only on Mondays. Customers can also order custom pastries from the shop, whether it's macaron favors for a baby shower or wedding, or a larger version of any of their cakes. 

"I became a pastry chef because I love making people happy," said Pierre. "It's wonderful to see their smiles after taking a bite of one of our pastries. This job involves a lot of hard work but I love it. I have a true passion for pastry and I'm so happy to share that with the community."

On a recent January day, the cafe was busy with friends enjoying sandwiches, while another couple finished up their coffee and pastries. Social media has been filled with pictures of the colorful macarons as people mention which flavors are their favorite (salted caramel seems to be especially popular). "Things are off to a great start," said Pierre. "The response has been amazing and we're so happy to be a part of this downtown community."

Delice Macarons
19 Eastman Street
(908) 325-6009