A Worcester-based French eatery is gearing up to launch its second location.
Suzette Crêperie and Café is coming to 150 N Main St, Suite 130, in Northampton’s Thornes Marketplace. Owner Jean-Luc Wittner and his wife, Evelyn Darling, are bringing their signature French comfort food to this bustling new spot.
Stepping into Suzette’s original Worcester café—with its colorful macarons and delicate crêpes—you might never guess that Wittner, now a chef and restaurateur, began his career in an entirely different field.
Born and raised in Strasbourg, Wittner graduated from one of France’s top business schools and subsequently worked as a sales manager in the wine industry. Despite his success, he quickly grew disillusioned with the corporate world.
“I was successful, but I hated my job,” Wittner told What Now Boston. “I hated it. I was doing it to make a living, to buy a house, and have a normal life… I always knew I wanted to be my own boss.”
In 2011, an opportunity arose for Wittner to move to the United States, and with it, the perfect chance to change careers. After settling in Boston, he immersed himself in the food industry, starting from the ground up as a server at a small French bistro in Needham and later working at Smith & Wollensky, a high-end steakhouse. But his ultimate goal was always to start his own business.
“I didn’t want a full-service restaurant,” he said. “That upscale, sometimes pretentious, expensive French food with a seated restaurant. I didn’t see myself in it. I respect it, but I wanted to bring here the home food, you know, what we do at home, not what we do in upscale restaurants.”
This humble vision became the foundation of Suzette’s—a place where French comfort food could shine. Wittner ultimately chose the crêpe as the perfect product: simple, casual, fast, affordable, and undeniably French.
“We do everything from scratch,” Wittner explained. “When we make a raspberry macaron, it’s real raspberries. We don’t use flavorings.”
The original Worcester location opened amid the pandemic in August 2020, forcing the Suzette team to adapt and innovate. In addition to their signature crêpes, they introduced crêpe-making nights, macarons, and, most recently, a popular line of French comfort meals—such as Coq au Riesling—made in-house, vacuum-sealed, and ready to enjoy at home.
With the Northampton expansion, Wittner plans to offer much of the Worcester menu at the new, smaller location. The focus, though, will shift to grab-and-go offerings, perfect for Thornes Marketplace’s foot traffic. Crêpes will be served in cones, allowing customers to enjoy the treat while shopping.
For those with dietary restrictions, nearly all of Suzette’s offerings can be made gluten-free upon request, and many can be made vegan.
Wittner is eager to share the flavors of his homeland with a new community. He predicts that Suzette Crêperie and Café will debut at Thornes Marketplace in late November 2024, pending final inspections.
