Coquette Moving to a Larger Location Early Next Year

CHARLOTTE, NC — Coquette, the French restaurant from owner Jill Marcus, is planning a late January move to a larger space at 101 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28280. Business Debut read the news first in the Charlotte Business Journal and then interviewed Marcus directly for more details.

Marcus told Business Debut the relocation follows the bankruptcy of the restaurant’s original landlord at 400 S Tryon St #101, Charlotte, NC 28285 and the sale of that building at auction.

“Our landlord went bankrupt, and then the new owner gave us 10 days to leave,” she told Business Debut. The 10 day notice was extended to 90 days, Marcus shared.

The team then began looking for a second-generation restaurant space and ultimately chose the 101 S Tryon Street corner, the former home of Essex Bar & Bistro. “The location could not be better,” she said. “We could not have asked for a better location.”

What to Expect

The new Coquette will grow from roughly 3,200–3,500 square feet to about 5,200 square feet. The layout will add two private dining areas and a larger outdoor patio, which the current space does not have. Marcus said the team plans to move key design elements from the existing restaurant, including extensive tile work, walnut cabinetry and custom doors inspired by stained glass by Mont-Saint-Michel in France.

“We hope guests will see similarities, with a few surprises along the way,” she told Business Debut. “We want it to feel like you are in our French house.”

The goal is to shut down the current location for only about a week to complete the move. Marcus said that short window is designed to keep staff employed and avoid a long period between locations.

Menu and Vision

Marcus said Coquette will remain an all-day French restaurant where guests can stop in for oysters, a drink or a full meal.

“We still want to be very accessible, where you can come in all day and not feel like you have to sit for a long, formal dinner,” she told Business Debut.

Chef Stefano Gallo is developing new “Grand Voyage” chef’s tasting menus, with five- and seven-course options layered onto the existing menu. The restaurant will also continue its monthly French wine classes led by sommelier and general manager Fabien Duquesne.

Marcus said those classes have sold out for two years and will include a December event built around a “12 wines of Christmas” lineup, with exact details to be announced on the website.

Catering and Market

Coquette will launch Coquette Catering by the end of the year, offering in-home catering and box lunches ordered online, featuring items such as duck-fat fried chicken, sandwiches, composed salads and pastries.

Marcus said a separate French-inspired market concept called Marché, offering wine, charcuterie and prepared foods to go, is planned for the same block or an adjacent space, with timing still to be announced.

Opening Timeline

Renovation work is underway at 101 S Tryon St. Marcus said the team is targeting the end of January for opening, depending on construction progress.

“When I first got the notification I was devastated,” she told Business Debut. “But then I quickly thought, 'okay, I can do this, we’re going to do this.'”

Hours

Hours of operation for the new Coquette location are to be announced.

Follow for More

For updates on the move, menu, wine classes and catering, visit Coquette’s website and Something Classic Catering, Marcus' existing catering business, and follow Coquette on Facebook and Instagram.