(Photo courtesy of Nicholas Rossi.) “Dar Rafiki’s offers an assortment of pasteries, both sweet and savory.”
Nicholas Rossi
Connector Contributor
Dar Rafiki’s is a new French bakery in the Merrimack Valley that is making a great impression on locals. Located at 389 Main St. in Haverhill, MA, Dar Rafiki’s offers the public a myriad of classic French pastries and savory Moroccan foods at an affordable price point. Opened by 42-year old chef-owner Ihoussine Rafiq on Aug. 25 2024, Dar Rafiki’s brings the most beloved aspects of high-end patisserie and viennoiserie to the city of Haverhill in a down to earth and accessible way.
Dar Rafiki’s storefront is modest with a welcoming and pleasant staff. Three glass pastry cases line the front of the bakery, filled with danishes, croissants, cube-shaped pastries, fruit tarts, mini layer cakes, cake pops, macarons, and flavored yogurts. Individual servings of classic French pasty staples, such as Opera cake, Black Forest cake, and various other mousse cakes, sit like works of art as they each display their thinly cut and evenly stacked layers of genoise sponge, which are filled with flavored mousse and cut with care and precision. Above the cases of pastry is a food menu that offers guests Moroccan savory food items such as a kofeta ground seasoned beef sandwich, a merguez sausage dinner plate, or even falafel served with garlic sauce. Both the sausage and falafel are made in-house.
Dar Rafiki’s, which is Arabic for House of Friends, and a derivative of Chef Rafiq’s last name, is the product of Rafiq’s extensive culinary training and hands on experience over the years in Morocco and the United States. In 2002, Rafiq got his first degree in the pastry arts in Morocco before moving to Canada for a year to study culinary gastronomy, which taught him how to mix flavors for desserts with herbs, fruits, and even vegetables. In 2008, Rafiq moved to the United States, landing in Haverhill, Mass, where he began working in various restaurants and pastry shops in Boston.
In 2016, Rafiq managed the kitchen and planned menus as Chef de Cuisine of the Westin Hotel at Copley Place in Boston before leaving and opening a food truck in Lowell that specialized in Mediterranean food. Rafiq opened a second, larger food truck in 2019 that is used for motion picture catering and weddings across New England. After making it through COVID-19 intact, Rafiq decided to open a bakery in Haverhill as his next project.
“I saw that there was a need, that there is not a lot of French bakeries here around the North Shore.” said Rafiq, who strives to provide excellent ingredients, products, and service to his customers. “We are focused more on the customer than just the product.” said Rafiq. “To have fresh product and to make the customer happy…and even the price…you see the price its very low compared to the other bakeries that make the same quality of food…that is the focus now.”
Rafiq’s has loved the culinary arts since he was a child in Morocco, helping his dad make candies, chocolate, marshmallows, and other confections at their candy factory in the city of Casablanca. “He started his factory in 1962. It was in the same building. We lived on the second floor. If I didn’t have school, I was there.”
Rafiq carries passion into his baking to this day, which is his labor of love and something he truly enjoys. “It makes you relax and you don’t think about stress. Like when you are shaping a croissant; it takes you away from everything.”
Since its opening in August, Dar Rafiki’s bakery has gotten an amazing response from the people of the Merrimack Valley, earning a five-star review on Google. The bakery is literally the talk of the town, with constant foot traffic in and out of the bakery and even university staff members spreading the word about it.
UMass Lowell English department member and pastry enthusiast Dr. Rebecca Richards, who recommended Dar Rafiki’s to one of her students, says, “You get all the good, flakey pastries without the pretension and at a reasonable price. Just looking at all the delicious options in the case makes me smile. Each item is carefully made, and you can tell the owners take pride in their work.”
With a promising start and a bright future ahead, Dar Rafiki’s is worth checking out to pastry novices and pastry adepts alike. Chef Rafiq recommends his stylish and delicious pastry cube for first timers, which is filled with flavored mousse that is always changing.
One can be sure to enjoy the product, the service, and the vibe at Dar Rafiki’s, as chef Rafiq reminds us how much he enjoys doing what he does: “It’s like therapy for me. It’s something that I love.”
