Caribou Cafe has a decades-long history in Philadelphia and it recently started its latest chapter under new ownership, writes Jason Sheehan for Philadelphia Magazine.

Initially, it was a Fitler Square coffee shop owned by founder Bruno Pouget in the late 1980s. About a year later, it moved crosstown to Center City before moving yet again down the street years later.

Throughout the moves, Caribou Cafe has transitioned from being a little French coffee shop to full-blown bistro to one of the hottest restaurants in the city by the mid-1990s.

In 2003, Pouget sold the establishment to Chef Olivier Desaintmartin who made it even more of a destination.

For 20 years, he ran Caribou Cafe and make a name for himself within the Philadelphia food scene.

In December 2023, he officially sold the restaurant to Townsend Wentz.

Since finalizing the deal, Wentz and his team has been working quietly behind the scenes to renovate the kitchen, refresh the interior, and testing out new menus.

“Our vision is for Caribou Cafe to be one of the country’s top brasseries, a must-visit for everyone who visits or lives in Philadelphia,” Wentz said.

Read more about Caribou Cafe’s history and its new owners’ vision for the future in Philadelphia Magazine.

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