Petit Louis Bistro on the Lake in Columbia is shutting down at the end of next weekend, to be replaced by a Roman-style trattoria dubbed Lupa.
The new eatery, whose name translates to “she-wolf” in Italian, will have a “warm and casual” feel, according to a release. Cinghiale executive chef James Lewandowski will double as executive chef for the new concept.
Petit Louis Bistro, meanwhile, will disappear from Columbia while remaining a Baltimore City favorite with its flagship spot on Roland Avenue. The Howard County outpost opened four years ago, offering the same French tastes in the suburbs that have made the original location in North Baltimore so popular.
The restaurant sits near Columbia Town Center.on the edge of Lake Kittamaqundi, one of the planned community’s four original man-made lakes.
“The community loved Petit Louis and we loved bringing it to Columbia,” said restaurateur Tony Foreman in a statement. “It just feels like the right time to change things up.”
“An original project, right on the lakefront, is the right thing to do,” he added of Lupa. “Roman food is one of my favorite things in the entire world and I am so excited to do something that is so close to my heart.”
Foreman could not be immediately reached for additional comment on Monday. The restaurant group didn’t say when it expects Lupa to open.
The space will undergo a complete design overhaul, spearheaded by Katie Destefano, who redesigned Bar Vasquez in Harbor East last year and runs the high-end home boutique store Curiosity in Baltimore.
Petit Louis Bistro will serve its final brunch in Columbia on Sunday, Feb. 4. As a thank you from Foreman Wolf, the restaurant will serve its entire wine list at half price all week beginning Jan. 30.
