Libraries have a certain aura to them, houses of knowledge and stories waiting to be revealed. In France, about 88% of the population consider themselves to be readers, and the country has been dubbed a land of literature, so it seems only fitting that a forthcoming Parisian-inspired concept in Richmond will make its home at a downtown library.
In the coming weeks, Can Can Café will debut inside the Library of Virginia at 800 E. Broad St., offering a daytime destination for the downtown crowd. The fast-casual breakfast and lunch eatery marks the second venture from the owners of Can Can Brasserie, John and Paul Kincaid.
In July, the brothers received a call from a former regular of Can Can’s morning coffee service. He worked for the library, and they were on the hunt to reinvigorate their cafe.
“They just want the space to be alive, and to be a public amenity,” says Can Can Executive Chef and co-owner John Kincaid. “To want to do another location in any other circumstance just seemed like it would be too much, but this seems like a good fit and a good showcase of what we do.”
While Carytown’s Can Can channels European chic, the wow factor of the new cafe is immediately clear upon entering the open, museum-like foyer accented by a backdrop of sleek bookcases. One of the oldest government agencies in the commonwealth, the Library of Virginia was founded in 1823 and moved to its current location in 1997.
“I didn’t know what to expect when I walked in here. I had never been, but I didn’t imagine all this,” John says.
Spearheading the bakery component of the cafe is Can Can pastry chef Ben Hill, who originally joined the restaurant in 2015 before leaving to pursue more dessert-focused positions, working at Brenner Pass followed by Sugar & Twine.
He says a front pastry case will be stocked with grab-and-go classics such as croissants, madeleines, scones and muffins, but the new space also offers him the freedom to unleash more fun, whimsical, high-end desserts: patisserie-style items, from a marquee brownie with chocolate mousse and ganache topping to cutesy cheesecakes, self-saucing Bavarians, eclairs and cruffins. The cafe will also offer coffee service.
“We don’t necessarily get to do all this stuff for the restaurant, and as we kind of grow and expand, we will have those options as well,” Hill says. “We’re really trying to utilize a lot of the stuff that we have and equipment we’re not making the best use of right now [at Can Can] to bring a nice experience to the cafe.”
John says that in 2005, when original owners the Ripp family first opened Can Can, the vision was that it would supply other restaurants they launched. But when a second property fell through, they shifted their focus back to the emerging Carytown venture, now a 150-plus-seat restaurant with an underground baking lair and private dining rooms.
In June 2020, during the thick of the pandemic, Paul Kincaid, who was serving as general manager, along with John as executive chef, purchased Can Can from then-owner Chris Ripp. Although the timing was less than ideal, the new cafe feels like a breath of fresh air, and an opportunity to reintroduce themselves.
Hill, who came on as pastry chef a week before the pandemic shut down indoor dining, says easing back into the swing of things has been rewarding. “I’m grateful it was a slow incline before you come in and sell 300 desserts a week kind of thing,” he says. “I’ve learned so much over the past two years.”
Can Can Café’s forthcoming baguette-heavy lunch offerings will finally allow them to maximize their potential, and fall into a groove.
Sandwiches have been a theme of John’s career. His first job was at a Virginia Beach Panera, the second at Taste Unlimited. During his last semester attending VCU, he snagged a gig at The Black Sheep, among the city’s most treasured and talked-about eateries of yesteryear, known for its massive, multitiered Battleship baguette subs.
Following its closure, John landed at Can Can, where he graduated from line cook to restaurateur, celebrating seven years in October. While he can’t confirm, he hints that he hopes to be joined by a “very seasoned sandwich person in this city” for the new project.
Other classic French cafe offerings on the menu, each served on a baguette: Provençale with salami, ham, manchego and other accoutrements; a pan bagnat laden with tuna, anchovies, tomatoes, onions, hard-boiled eggs and a drizzle of olive oil; jambon beurre (ham and butter); marinated red peppers with fresh mozzarella, arugula and olive oil; and confit chicken with bacon, garlic aioli and brie. Salads will include a melange of young greens, a Caesar and a nicoise, in addition to the restaurant’s famed onion soup.
“We want to give people really good, high-quality food and still keep with our theme of keeping it French, but also have to be able to get it out quickly and do it on a high level as well,” John says. “We’re excited to be here and really excited to see it buzzing with people and alive.”
Can Can Café will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with indoor and outdoor seating. Limited free parking will be available on Level B1 of the library’s parking garage, accessed via the Eighth and Ninth street entrances.
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