There is good news for those who like White Dog Café at 3420 Sansom St.: The parent company behind the European-style bistro, Fearless Restaurants, is bringing another eatery to campus next year: Louie-Louie.
The cafe drew inspiration from "Europe's great cafes and bistros," a University press release said. It will officially replace the Italian restaurant Penne, which operated on the ground floor of the Inn at Penn for 15 years before closing this summer.
This is the latest project by Marty and Syndney Grims, the father-daughter duo that also own White Dog Café and run Moshulu Restaurant on Penn’s Landing and the other two White Dog locations in Wayne and Haverford, Pa..
“We [White Dog Café] have been in University City for over 35 years, growing alongside of Penn,” Grims said in a statement. “We are really excited to be a part of the vibrant restaurant scene and continued growth in the neighborhood with the debut of Louie-Louie.”’
Philadelphia-based Rohe Creative will be handling the restaurant’s design, including a “seamless flow from the interior to the outdoor patio,” Penn's announcement wrote. Rohe Creative has designed other city hotspots and plan for this location to be “art nouveau inspired.”
Louie-Louie will be open seven days a week and will have a maximum capacity of 200 people seated indoors and outdoors. Students can also expect a large bar area.
With the addition of a new eatery to 36th and Walnut streets, the culinary ecosystem in and around Penn has undergone yet another shake-up. Six restaurants, including the Saladworks on 37th and Spruce streets, closed in the early part of the summer. Other spots like Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, Capogiro and Bridgé Cafe have also closed in recent months.
Earlier this month, Penn also announced plans to open an outlet of the New York-based salad place, Just Salad. An article from the Philadelphia Inquirer said Just Salad's University City location will include a tea station, comfortable chairs, a bar counter and cafe tables.
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