By Gretchen Webster
Maman GM Petagaye McLaughlin, left, and marketing director Andrea Szot – Photo Gretchen WEbster
The New York French café and bakery scene has come to Westport this fall. The Maman bakery and café opened today at 44 Church Lane in the former Mrs. London’s Bakery; and Le Pain Quotidien, another New York favorite, opened at 635 Post Road East in September.
“A lot of people in the city moved to Westport during the pandemic,” said Andrea Szot, marketing director for Maman. “Westport fits in with our brand.”
“I love Westport,” said Petgaye McLaughlin, manager of the new Westport Maman, who has worked in Westport restaurants before. She has already been seeing some friendly faces as people seemed eager to come into the new bakery and café on Wednesday before it opened.
“Maman” which means “mom” in French, started as an independent Soho café and bakery, according to the company website. Maman now has over 40 locations along the East Coast and in Canada. Westport is their second store in Connecticut, their first is in Greenwich.
Maman is celebrating the Westport bakery’s opening Thursday by giving out their famous nutty chocolate chip cookies and tote bags to the first 100 customers, Szot said. The cookies are also available in a nut-free version.
Other bakery items, called “Sweets” on their menu, offer a variety of croissants including almond chocolate and pistachio chocolate croissants, an “everything” croissant, and banana chocolate walnut bread. There are over 20 varieties of coffee and tea listed on the menu, as well as several juices.
Maman breakfast classics include eggs ratatouille with eggplant, zucchini and stewed tomatoes with two “sunny” eggs and herbed feta cheese served with sourdough bread. Papa’s Breakfast bowl – a Maman favorite according to Szot, offers roasted potatoes, arugula, bacon, caramelized onions, avocado, Maman’s chipotle and a sunny egg.
Or how about, for lunch, Marie’s Chicken Caesar wrap with roasted chicken, romaine, shaved parmesan cheese, and pickled onions in a tortilla, or a ham and cheese croissant sandwich with Dijon mustard? A variety of salads and soup are on the menu, too. Drinks that are served include not only different varieties of coffee and tea, but some cocktails too.
This fall, Maman is partnering with former Westport resident, Martha Stewart, on a special menu using her recipes. These include a harvest tart with butternut squash, carrots and cheese, a rum butter bundt cake, and spiced caramel apple cider. The bakery company adds to their menus periodically, with new seasonal bakery menus four times a year, and what they call “savory” menus with breakfast and lunch items twice each year.
Maman hosts special events, after regular hours, and caters off-site events. They also welcome small parties and other events. There is even a small play area for young children in the bakery.
Maman
44 Church Lane
Westport
203 349-5125
Mon – Fri 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Happy Hour 3 to 6 p.m.
Sat – Sun 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Happy Hour 4 to 6 p.m.
Special events are also welcome in the evening after the bakery’s regular hours are over.
Special events are also welcome in the evening after the bakery’s regular hours are over.
Take-out and delivery orders are welcome through Uber Eats and Door Dash, through the Maman app on Apple or Google, or at the company’s website.
Dining and Cooking