Sucré, the New Orleans-born pastry shop, officially opened its first Baton Rouge location Thursday, Nov. 21, next to Mansurs on the Boulevard.
Husband-and-wife team James Vitrano and Abney Harper, who also opened the build-your-own pasta spot Prima Après near LSU’s campus this summer, purchased the brand known for its sparkly king cakes, macarons and gelato in the spring of 2023. Vitrano says he and Harper wanted to bring the shop to Baton Rouge from “day one.”
“Sucré was a wonderful brand from the early 2000s to 2010s … We loved it and we wanted to revive it, bring it back and expand it,” Vitrano says. 
Harper designed the new shop, which was previously occupied by Planet Beach, in a Nancy Meyers-inspired style. Vitrano says they wanted the space to have a similar feel to Sucré’s Royal Street location in New Orleans, with an infusion of European and Parisian elements. Patrons will notice bow tie tile that was all hand cut, Vitrano says. The interior is adorned in pastels—from the light pink walls to the colors of the pastries themselves.
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“Just like (in) New Orleans, we took a little bit of France and made it our own,” Vitrano says.
The main dining area features benches and acrylic chairs beside marble tables. Gold touches and an expansive waterfall-like wallpaper are used throughout the space. Private rooms also feature their own wallpapers with pastel colors and gold foiling and are separated by privacy curtains that pay homage to the original Ruth’s Chris Steak House, according to Vitrano. The rooms can be reserved for meetings, interviews or private events.
Vitrano says the location next to Mansurs was appealing when he and Harper were looking for a Baton Rouge space. He says the Corporate Boulevard shopping center fits Sucré’s elevated, upscale brand while still feeling approachable to customers.
“It checked a lot of boxes,” he says.
The shop will offer Sucré’s sought-after sweets. For the holiday season, the eight-count or 15-count macaron boxes can be purchased as gifts or for events and gatherings. Featured macaron flavors include Almond, Chocolate, Pistachio, Blackberry Citrus, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Café au Lait and Vanilla Bean.
Sucré just finished running the Bananas Foster specialty flavor, but Vitrano says other specialty macarons will run depending on the season. During Mardi Gras, customers can expect king cake-flavored macarons and cupcakes, as well as the brand’s signature king cakes. Sucré also offers a completely edible macaron tree.
In addition to the famous macarons, the patisserie also serves entremets, cupcakes, gelato and more. The entremets are inspired by Michelin-starred or high-end restaurants with a pastry chef, Vitrano says, with options like The Sucré Fumé, an elevated s’more, or the Nid D’Abelle honey tart with orange and almond filling and raspberry crisps. Palmiers, a breakfast puff pastry that originated in Paris, will also be served.
Cupcakes are filled and decorated and include flavors such as Caramel Apple, Strawberry Vanilla, German Chocolate and more. Gelato offerings include Raspberry, Brown Butter Pecan, Salted Caramel Brownie and others. In addition to the desserts, Sucré will also have a coffee menu showcasing espresso-based drinks.
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With Sucré, Vitrano and Harper hope to create a place for patrons to come in to take a minute out of their day to relax without being rushed.
“Take a moment, be happy and escape the demands of life,” Vitrano says.
Sucré is located at 5720 Corporate Blvd., Suite D. Operating hours at this location will be 8 a.m.–9 p.m. from Sunday to Wednesday and 8 a.m.–10 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday. Find Sucré online at shopsucre.com or on Instagram @sucreneworleans.