Northshore-born eatery Prima Après is back with a new brick-and-mortar location in Baton Rouge on Corporate Boulevard, giving pasta lovers another spot to fill up on sauce-covered carbs, along with a bevy of sweets. The move comes at the same time Prima Après’ products have been chosen to be sold through the high-end national kitchenware and gourmet food retailer Williams Sonoma.
Prima Après’ latest local digs are at 5720 Corporate Blvd. in the spot formerly occupied by Sucré, a New Orleans-created sweet shop known for its specialty desserts. Prima Après husband-and-wife co-owners James Vitrano and Abney Harper were licensees of Sucré until litigation with the brand prompted a pivot, Harper told followers in a recent Instagram post. So Harper and Vitrano turned the space into a new home for Prima Après, the restaurant they created together.
“It was just meant to be because we had this location and we had a lease,” Harper says. “I always wanted to open a Prima Après in this part of town. It just worked out great.”
Down came the pastel wallpaper of Sucré and in came Prima Après’ signature pasta and pavlova menu. But Harper says since customers were used to a bigger selection of sweet treats at that location, they expanded the menu to include more desserts, from cupcakes and cookies to macarons and gelatos. (Yes, macaron trees are still available through Prima Après.)…