Our visit to the Eastern Townships of Quebec could not be complete without a day in Sutton, a tiny community that is big on taste.
There are only 2,000 full-time residents in Sutton, Quebec, but the town’s population doubles in winter when skiers take to the nearby slopes. There is a notable presence of residents of Swiss heritage, which explains why the community has a strong focus on food, wine, craft beer, and European-style chocolate.
We were fortunate to have a guided tour of the town’s creative and culinary highlights with Liane Bruneau, the general manager of Sutton’s Economic Development Corporation and welcome centre. Liane was the perfect guide for our tour. She knows everyone in town, what they’re up to, and the best tastes for any gourmande to enjoy.
chocolate in sutton quebec
An extra special addition to our tour was a visit to the Chocolaterie Belge Muriel, a small chocolate shop in the Belgian tradition run by mother and son team Muriel Norka and her son Marek Latzmann. Muriel originally hails from Bolivia, but has been gone a long time and was unaware that Bolivia is now growing some excellent cacao. I encouraged her to look into getting Bolivian cocoa to make her own South-American inspired chocolates. The shop is currently focusing on traditional Belgian-style chocolates. There is a small chocolate museum on-site that traces the history of cacao from its roots in Mesoamerica to modern-style chocolate in North America.
In addition to the chocolate shop, we visited a European-style bakery, a gourmet cheese and culinary shop, a catering company with sought-after flair, and a wool shop, ending up at the local brewhouse where we enjoyed a delicious lunch with some locally made beer.
There are three vineyards right in the Sutton area, and a total of 24 throughout the Eastern Townships. The region is home to a wine route festival and an arts festival during the summer months, so if you love handcrafted creations, do put Sutton and the Eastern Townships of Quebec on your radar–for the skiing and outdoor beauty, for festivals and local French-Canadian culture, and for the top notch culinary treats.
Wow, I did not know that chocolate was as big in Canada. I’ve had a chocolate beer and Belgian chocolate is my all-time favorite. I grew up in the UK and European chocolate is the best!!
I was going to ask how or if we can also visit. Then I saw the note about the place burning. Any chance they are back up and running. I hope so…. Nikki
Hi Nikki. Thx so much for your comment. Europe does indeed have tremendous chocolate. But so does the rest of the world! You’d be surprised at the quality of chocolate in the Americas. Stay tuned for the second volume of Chocolatour for more on that. You must have also been reading my post on Palette de Bine (also from Eastern Quebec.) Christine has rebuilt her business following the tragic fire and I’ve updated the post on her at this link: at https://chocolatour.net/a-salute-to-palette-de-bine-of-mont-tremblant-quebec. Please check it out.
I haven’t been to Quebec since I went there with my family as a teenager. Reading your articles take me there and make me want to plan a trip there with my husband. Maybe next year!
I hope you do get to revisit Quebec, Sherryl. Visiting a destination as an adult is far different than visiting it as a child or young person. 🙂
This is definitely the kind of day I could get into… love the chocolate tours. The village seems like such a great place to visit too, it is wonderful for them to have something that brings people in during the summer as well and see it from an insider’s point of view.
Right on, Rossana. I really admire a destination like Sutton that has found ways to celebrate its attributes outside of its major tourist season. Thx for stopping by.
It is amazing that there are only 2,000 full-time residents in Sutton, Quebec. It must feel great to get away from the crowds!
Hi Bola. There are many towns with small populations in Canada. I live in one that has about the same number of full-time residents, and more in summer when the cottagers move in. Love it!
How beautiful is it to know everyone in town. Such people are the best for tours of the city!
Indeed! There is nothing like a tour with an insider. You get to see and experience things you never dreamed of. Thanks for visiting my blog. I do believe it is your first visit! 🙂
That looks like a cute little town! I’ll have to visit someday! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Your posts always make me drool and those chocolate candies under the glass looked delish. I have to echo Donna’s comment that Sutton, Quebec looks like a great town to bring your appetite! Such a charming town!
I have absolutely;utely no doubt that you would enjoy a visit to Sutton and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Anita. Thx for stopping by. 🙂
Sutton seems to be a calm and tranquil place, where things are leisurely and everyone knows each other. Chocolaterie Belge Muriel looks like a great place to chill and also yield in to some chocolate temptations.
Totally pinning this so I can check out Sutton when I’m in Quebec next month! Those European chocolates really sold me!
Hi Tami: Not sure where you live, but I hope you realize just how big Quebec is! If you’re in Montreal, and have access to a rental car, a trip to Sutton is very doable. Enjoy your trip!
I can only imagine a place with just 2000 people!! We in India have all the cities and even small towns populated. Nowhere is less than 10 million or so 🙂 The place is so beautiful too. I want to travel here one day
Hi Neha: Yes, it’s so amazing to be on the internet and be introduced to places that are so different from and so far from our homeland. How lucky we are to be born in the day of easy and economical travel. I hope you soon have the opportunity to explore Canada and Quebec.
Oh my I know I would love it here! I’ve been to Quebec years ago and wish I visited this place. The chocolate all looks so good!
Doreen, Sutton really does have so much to offer. You’ve covered it well. Such a pretty , relaxing area. I like the idea of South American-inspired chocolates. Hope she takes your advice.
Thx so much for your feedback, Ursula. Always great to hear from you. 🙂
Sutton looks very quaint and relaxing. I’ve only been in the Montreal airport as far as traveling to Quebec goes, but we really should hit the road and discover that wonderful province! I visited Doreen and was lucky enough to sample the Almond Truffels that she brought home with her. They were delicious and definitely a great treat from her travels!
Thx so much for weighing in, Giselle. Welcome to my blog! I hope you’ll hang out a bit and look around. Always great sharing chocolate with friends. 🙂
It looks like Sutton is one of those sweet places that punch above their population size when it comes to charms for visitors. Great foodie options, it seems!
What a wonderful post about Sutton, Quebec. It is great when I see places have particular stores, such as the European style bakery. Too many places have become “industrialized”, all having the same chain of restaurants. Glad to see some flavor in this town.
Thx so much for your comment, William. There certainly were not a lot of chain stores in the Eastern Townships. I do recall seeing Tim Horton’s, but not a lot of others.
A lot of this reminds me of small towns in NZ!
Hi Dannielle. I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting NZ. But it is definitely high on my list for that very reason. I am attracted to destinations that respect nature and where there is a strong connection between people and the land. You can’t beat that feeling in a small town.
Looks like Sutton covers all the bases. Chocolate, beer and great food. We love the Quebec region but somehow have missed Sutton. Guess we’ll need to return.
Absolutely, Sue! We often need to return to a destination several times before we discover all of its nuggets. I’ve been to Quebec at least 5 times before, but it is only on this latest visit that I finally got to the Eastern Townships.
Just like Quebec City, this is a little slice of Europe! That is why we meet a lot of Europeans in Canada! So the chocolates must be there, too!
You know how I love small towns, so Sutton would be just perfect for me. The meals and chocolate look ideal–toss in a cool brew on a hot day and yep–great!
Sutton looks and sounds like a very pleasant place, especially for eating. What caught my interest here the most was chocolate beer! I’ve never heard of it! I don’t like beer, but this I might!
Hi Rachel. As a long-time read of this blog, I’m surprised to hear you say that this is the first time you’ve heard of chocolate beer! I’m sure I’ve written about it before. But stay tuned! I will write a post from my time in PA during which I visited several craft breweries that offered terrific chocolate beers. 🙂
I think it’s great how the chocolate shop is family-owned with the mother and son working together. The almond truffles sound delicious!
As a Sutton resident I should mention that we are now as much of a summer and Fall destination as a winter one. There is fabulous hiking, kayaking, cycling, vineyards and music festivals. It can get busy here at weekends so try and come midweek and for a local flavor dont miss Le Cafetier or the Saturday market.
And yes, French is the first language but most people also speak English.
Agreed. We didn’t have any difficulty communicating with francophone folks. I checked out your Top 10 post, Lynda, and wow! I would love to experience the Domaine des Cotes d’Ardoise’s summer exhibition of sculpture in the vineyard. That sounds amazing!
Hi Lynda and welcome to my blog! Absolutely! Sutton has loads of wonderful things to do in summer as we have both described. I would have loved to have stayed longer and seen/done more.
I haven’t been to Quebec yet, but a chocolate extravaganza around the state and in Sutton would be right up my alley, so to speak. A chocolate and beer pairing would be divine.
Hi Jo: The province of Quebec is indeed a delightful destination for foodies and gourmands. I’ve never been disappointed with the culinary delights I have explored in Quebec.
I had no idea there was a community of Swiss heritage in Quebec. It obviously makes for great food, and chocolate of course!
Hi Karen. I, too, was pleasantly surprised to learn of the Swiss/Quebec connection. But don’t forget that part of Switzerland is francophone, so it is an easy pairing. 🙂
Sutton looks tasty! It would be interesting to explore beer and chocolate pairings. There’s a restaurant in my area that offers a beer and ice cream pairing flight of all things.
Hi Jeri! I hope you are doing OK. Yes, I have explored many chocolate and beer tastings. Pure dark chocolate goes best with a stout, porter, or savoury chocolate beer. Milk chocolate pairs best with a lighter beer like a prisoner or lager that might have some complementary flavour notes. India Pale Ale is more difficult to pair well with chocolate as it has such strong flavour notes of its own. More in volume II of Chocolatour–coming your way soon! 🙂
Canada certainly has a glut of cute little towns!
That Halibut and rice dish has me hungry already 🙂
Right on, Chris. Have lived in Canada all my life and am still discovering great new places.
Yum! This sounds like such a lovely town. And the chocolates look divine.
I love places off the beaten path. Always so many great discoveries. Thx for stopping by, Judy.
Sutton looks quite lovely and very relaxed. I’ve fallen in love with Quebec City, so I’m sure I could easily like Sutton as well. Do they speak French in Sutton as well?
Yes, Anda. French is actually the primary language in all of Quebec. The greatest percentage of Anglophones are in Montreal. But French is the #1 language in the province.
We have a “Sutton” in the UK! I doubt it is anything like Sutton in Quebec.
What a small town of only 2,000 residents. I can imagine it is a tight knit community where virtually everyone knows everyone.
The meal looks tasty and very well presented which always impresses me.
Hi Phoenicia and thanks for your comment.
Yes, the presentation of a meal is almost as important as the flavour. In this case, both were impeccable.
It must be difficult for your tour guide, who knows everyone and cares about each business as if it were her own, to winnow out the highlights her town has to offer. Sutton looks like a perfect place to visit during the long,, slow days of summer.
Hi Linda. Indeed. I think that Liane did her very best to choose which businesses she thought I would be interested in, and she did a great job at that! Yes, I really enjoyed my visit to Sutton. Glad I got to see it when it was not overrun with tourists or skiers. 🙂
I think a lot of people, including me, associate Sutton strictly with downhill skiing. I was pleasantly surprised when Liane mentioned that ongoing donations of private land to the nature conservancy have opened up miles of hiking and XC skiing trails too. I will be back.
Right on, Virginia. I should have mentioned those interesting pieces of info in the post. The nature conservancy is a wonderful safeguard that hopefully will preserve the pristine nature of the region.
Quebec is one of my fave Canadian provinces and I’ve loved exploring the culinary culture but Sutton is now on my list!
Right on! I hope you get to enjoy the Eastern Townships soon.
We have fallen in love with Montreal, Quebec City, and the Laurentides but have not yet visited the Eastern Townships. Your article has put this region on our must visit list! Thanks for the great article introducing us to Sutton.
Thx so much for your comment! Montreal and the Laurentians will be covered in upcoming posts. I hope you caught the guest post that explored chocolate in Quebec City. It’s been a long while since I’ve been there, so was happy to get a current reading on the chocolate pulse of the city.
It looks like Sutton is a good place to go to hungry! I really do need to plan a trip to the Eastern Townships!
I’m glad I have enticed you to visit the Eastern Townships, Donna. It is now my favourite part of Qubec.
More fun places to put on my list to visit.
Susan, with your knowledge of good food and wine, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Sutton or the Eastern Townships of Quebec.