This Award-Winning French Bakery Is Open On Cape Cod All Year Long

Forbes Lifestyle Travel This Award-Winning French Bakery Is Open On Cape Cod All Year Long Debbi Kickham Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Former editor of Robb Report, Debbi has written about luxuries from Asprey to Zegna. Following Aug 23, 2023, 05:30pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Chef Philippe Rispoli did the unthinkable — he opened a unique French bistro on Cape Cod, the land .

. . [+] of the clam shack.

And it’s an unabashed success. Debbi Kickham Cape Cod is famous for summer — and its shores and seafood. And you know what else? A unique French bistro that continually wins rave reviews for its authentic cuisine and hospitality.

Not exactly what you would expect in Wellfleet, Mass. , famous for its clam shacks and oysters. It’s PB Boulangerie Bistro, which Chef Philippe Rispoli opened in 2009.

And this unique establishment, surrounded by mom-and-pop seafood restaurants, has proven to be a huge success. This award-winning French restaurant and bakery is constantly acclaimed, and unlike many of the seasonal businesses in Wellfleet that shut down in October, this bakery is open all-year-long. Even more, lots of travelers agree that visiting Cape Cod in the off season has a wealth of advantages – no long lines anywhere, great weather, and shoulder-season rates at the area’s hotels and mom-and-pop motels.

The chocolate bombe is just as you would find in Paris. Debbi Kickham Chef Rispoli hails from Lyon, France, and his petite boulangerie and bistro are an homage to all-things-French. (Prior to this he was the Executive Chef for Wynn Las Vegas.

) Here you will find foods just as you would in Paris – but now you can enjoy it all without the long-haul flight and the jet lag. PB Boulangerie Bistro is perhaps the Cape’s best-kept secret – although it attracts scores and scores of customers who thrill to get their fill of the French la vie en rose . The award-winning spot has been written up in everything from The New York Times to The Washington Post .

It’s been hailed as a destination restaurant – meaning – it is well worth the four-hour drive from New York or the two-hour trip from Boston. In the morning, starting at 7AM, the boulangerie (bakery) lines are long as customers patiently wait to get their fill of breads, pastry and viennoiserie. You’ll find such gourmet goodies as multigrain batard, white-chocolate bread, the award-winning farmer’s baguette, croissants of many different varieties, canneles, and danishes that the pastry chef makes in the wee hours of the morning.

His name is Michel Bentz, and he hails from Lyon, France too. Chef Bentz starts his day at midnight, making all of the gourmet goodies. MORE FOR YOU Ukraine’s Ex-Bulgarian BTR-60 Personnel Carriers Wouldn’t Last Long On The Front Line How To Check If Your Hotel Room Has Bed Bugs Rudy Giuliani And Sidney Powell Booked In Fulton County Jail Here s Who Else Has Surrendered In Trump Election Interference Case You’ll also find lots of French groceries and made-from-scratch to-go items.

Debbi Kickham But perhaps you’re more interested in the pastries? There are chocolate-pear sables, coconut macarons, chocolate bombes – and a wealth of other wonderful French goodies – that customers rave about. This is one popular patisserie. There are also lunch sandwiches galore; try the French Revolution that consists of a baguette outfitted with Boursin cheese, bacon, honey and scallions.

And – bien sur – you can most certainly order a Quiche Lorraine or a Croque Monsieur. In addition, the Bistro reopened the dining room in 2022 and is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday night with a beautiful three-course, pre-fixe dinner that combines the chef’s French heritage with the bounties of Cape Cod. For example, the menu includes a classic lyonnaise dish – the Quenelle de Lyon – but it is made with fresh scallops caught from a local shell-fisherman.

The menu also includes steak frites with homemade Bernaise, seared wild octopus, escargot, homemade pate campagne, locally caught striped bass and monkfish, chicken cordon bleu, and so much more! Chef Philippe is joined in the bistro kitchen by his long-time friend and former colleague in France, Chef Julien Zerbe, who just arrived in the United States and by Sous Chef Biagio Meloni-Nardone. Chefs Philippe and Julian are also planning an exciting shoulder season for the Bistro. For example, this November, PB Boulangerie Bistro will once again be offering a Beaujolais Nouveau dinner, celebrating the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau on November 16th and the season of harvest.

The Chefs have created a special menu inspired by the wine and diners receive a bottle of the wine with their dinner. PB also puts forth a bountiful Thanksgiving meal which can be enjoyed at home — or the Bistro will also be open Thanksgiving on Cape Cod? Yes, the Pilgrims would definitely approve. For more about my Wanderlust and Wellness travels, please Follow me on Instagram at @DebbiKickham .

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