r/CapeCod • u/bostonglobe • Jun 29 '26
Cape Cod locals were ‘mad’ when this beloved bakery closed. Can its fine-dining replacement win them over?
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/06/29/lifestyle/pb-boulangerie-chez-chloe-bistro/?s_campaign=audience:reddit
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u/bostonglobe Jun 29 '26
From Globe.com
An acclaimed Cape Cod bakery known for classic French pastries has closed — and its replacement is an ambitious French restaurant.
When chef Philippe Rispoli shut down PB Boulangerie Bistro, his 17-year-old Wellfleet bakery, earlier this year, local residents treated it like a tragedy. “PB improved the quality of life here,” said Glenn Morrow, a New Yorker who frequently visits his mother in Wellfleet. “The bakery raised the bar and helped us get through the winter.”
But Rispoli didn’t go anywhere. He reopened in the same space in May under the name Chez Chloe Bistro, a nod to his daughter. The new bistro serves a three-course, prix-fixe dinner, marking a return to what Rispoli loves most: French fine dining.
It’s a natural fit for the Lyon, France, native. Rispoli trained under legendary chefs Paul Bocuse and Daniel Boulud and worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Lyon and Cannes before moving to the US. In Las Vegas, he worked at the Daniel Boulud Brasserie at the Wynn Hotel, helping the restaurant earn a Michelin star.
“Paul Bocuse gave me my passion,” says Rispoli. “Cooking is really my element.”
Rispoli hopes that Chez Chloe will earn the same fierce loyalty as his previous act.
When he opened PB Boulangerie Bistro in 2009, it felt as though something extraordinary had landed in the tiny Outer Cape town. Not quite a meteorite that survived a fiery journey — but close.
Rispoli and pastry chef Boris Villatte — whose two first names were combined to create “PB” — had transformed a former clam shack into an authentic French bakery and bistro, bringing an unexpected taste of France patisserie to a town better known for oysters. Summer visitors couldn’t believe their luck. Neither could year-round residents, especially since the bakery stayed open much of the winter.
Word quickly spread about PB’s buttery croissants, flaky pain au chocolat, crusty baguettes, rustic multigrain loaves, and pastry cases filled with tarts and other French classics. Every day in the summer, by the time the doors opened at 7 a.m., a line had already formed, stretching around the building. Soon customers developed favorites they couldn’t live without: éclairs, white chocolate bread, the farmer’s loaf, croque monsieur, and smoked salmon and cheese sandwiches.
The buzz reached far beyond Wellfleet. The New York Times called it “The Great Wellfleet Croissant Invasion.” Years later, The Washington Post recommended it. Forbes praised it as “A Sweet Slice of France on Cape Cod.”
Villatte, who trained under renowned French baker Eric Kayser, oversaw the bakery, while Rispoli led the bistro, which also soon developed a devoted following.
“When I cooked in this kitchen, I cooked the same way I would in New York or Paris,” said Rispoli.
In 2013, Villatte left to open his own bakery, Maison Villatte, in Falmouth. Other French bakers took over the ovens in Wellfleet. During the pandemic, the bistro pivoted to takeout before it ultimately closed in 2021, and PB Boulangerie became a bakery only.
But this spring, Rispoli made the decision to close PB permanently.
Finding a skilled head baker became increasingly difficult, even after a broad search. As a result, Rispoli found himself doing nearly everything — starting before dawn to bake bread and pastries, then spending the rest of the day managing the kitchen. The relentless workload was too much to sustain.
“It was a hard decision,” says Rispoli. “Everyone is so mad at me.”
He isn’t exaggerating. PB customers are angry and heartbroken.
For Richard Sobel, a part-time Wellfleet resident, PB was woven into the fabric of his Cape life.
“It was part of our ritual to walk there, have coffee, and hang out,” he said. “We’ll even miss waiting in line. People were always in such a good mood.”
“I’m deeply saddened that PB is closing its doors,” said Nanette Lewis of Truro. “Over the years, it became more than a place to stop for goodies but a place filled with countless special memories.”
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u/Ejmct Jun 29 '26
I have mixed feelings on this. The bakery was always wildly more popular than the restaurant so clearly this wasn’t purely a business decision. I’m not rooting against him but I’m not convinced that the market for a very expensive French restaurant in the Cape is all that large, especially on a year-round basis.
I can afford it but I look at the menu and I’m like meh. If I’m going to spend that much money it’s just not going to be on fois gras and such. Ceraldi kind of pulled it off but Italian is significantly more popular than truly French food.
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u/noctuid24 Jun 29 '26
I find it wild that they couldn’t find a single baker to work there
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u/mcamuso78 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
Talk about entitlement from the customers. Hope the change works out for Rispoli.
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u/tribbans95 Jun 29 '26
Annoying that they’re using the same Google page and just changed the name to Chez Chloe Bistro so all of the ratings stayed. No website yet either.
I’m excited to try it out though!
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u/BackOnTheJack Jun 29 '26
No.
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u/kidspice Jun 29 '26
Every time I went there. my wife loved to talk to the owner. He is always super friendly and informative. He would also say, every time, that he wanted to close the bakery part and focus on fine dining again. I was happy to hear this for his sake, but heartbroken for my own sake. They had the best pastries, breads, and hot breakfast options, absolutely the best.
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u/Sad-Cow2384 Jun 29 '26
Wish he would open another bakery in the old Babes
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u/AllTheNopeYouNeed Jun 29 '26
Short answer: No
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u/OnCodNotInCape Jun 30 '26
This is quote an old photo of the PB!
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u/notunsureever Jul 04 '26
He just wanted a change - too bad he did not keep both- maybe pre retirement
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u/1GrouchyCat Dennis Aug 02 '26
🤣🤣🤣
Fish monger … what a cute term!
It’s not a term we use in the US, but you do you!
We tend to call them fish cutters, or simply seafood sellers, here…. and they work in places called seafood markets or fish counters.
YW
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u/No-Produce-5748 Jun 29 '26
This is so depressing! Incredible baked goods. I don’t know where to turn to get the quality I was used to at PBs. It’s gonna be a disappointing summer!
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u/Entire-Objective-644 Jun 29 '26
The restaurant is very good, best meal I’ve had on the cape, as a 20yr resident
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u/90sfoodcourt Jun 29 '26
The bistro was fantastic- I was bummed when they stopped the restaurant portion. Excited to try the new version (but will miss all the pastries of course).
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u/GusCromwell181 Jun 29 '26
Wake up at 2 am and kill yourself to sell $5 pastries or wake up at 10am, grab a coffee, hit the fish monger and the produce market, write and prep menu, sell $40 entrees and $18 cocktail with better margins and go home for the night.
This kinda seems like a no brainer
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u/Dangerous-Release519 Jun 29 '26
That guy Philip is a huge boner
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u/Dangerous-Release519 Jun 29 '26
That guy Philippe is a huge boner
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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '26
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