As soon as Matines Café opened on Nov. 10, 2022, owners Arthur and Amanda de Bruc were met with business — and lots of it.

“From day one, it was craziness,” Amanda said. “I think the first month there was a literal line out the door every single day, which was fantastic, but also a little overwhelming.”

The quaint cafe at 89 Bethlehem Pike was an instant success, serving up a wide selection of breakfast and lunch options, specialty coffees, and baked goods to guests from Chestnut Hill and beyond. Yet, a problem soon emerged.

“Very quickly, we realized that the space just wasn’t adapted to the volume that was coming into the cafe,” Amanda said.

“It’s a good problem,” Arthur added with a smile.

Three years later, the de Brucs plan a few upgrades. The couple is currently in the process of moving Matines to 23 W. Highland Ave., a larger location to better suit their relaxed, Parisian business model. The grand opening is tentatively slated for mid-September. They also plan to adapt their current space to accommodate families seeking Francophile culinary flair.

From Paris to Chestnut Hill

The de Brucs are both natives of Paris, but Amanda said they were not “predestined” to run a French cafe — she has a degree in marketing while Arthur has a creative background, working in art galleries and museums before selling cars. Nonetheless, when Amanda’s sister moved to Florida and decided to open a cafe, the pair followed and helped with the venture.

Before long, the de Brucs wanted to open their own spot. They moved to Savannah, Georgia, and started Café M, a wildly popular endeavor that was named “Best Breakfast in Georgia” by People magazine. After six years in the South, the de Brucs set off in search of cooler weather, landing in Chestnut Hill. The couple enjoyed the flexibility of moving around.

“We fell in love with Philly,” Arthur said. “That’s the beauty of it, we kind of have roots everywhere. So, we can just put everything in the car and just drive and go wherever we want, and say, ‘Oh, it’s nice here. Let’s stop here.’”

Creating comfort

According to the de Brucs, many of Matines’ customers are regulars, and having conversations with these guests revealed what Matines was lacking.

“[Customers] let us know that sometimes they don’t want to come to the Bethlehem Pike location for a business lunch because they don’t know if they’re going to get a table,” Amanda said. “I think having a bigger space with more tables and being able to reserve will be a big game changer for our guests and for ourselves.”

Since opening Matines, the de Brucs also opened a bigger space in Wayne in November 2024. The Wayne location made them realize even more what they were missing in Chestnut Hill.

“At some times, the customer service [in Chestnut Hill] was not up to par with what we wanted because it was so crowded,” Amanda said. “We want that same vibe we have in Wayne that’s so much more comfortable, and we can take reservations, and there’s table service.”

The de Brucs hope adding these elements will enhance their presence on the Hill, which is a priority for them.

“When we arrived here … one of our goals was to expand and open multiple locations,” Arthur said. “But before opening a new location, we really wanted to do things right. … We love the community here.”

A family-friendly venture

The de Brucs visit their home country every year with their two children (5 and 6 years old). While in France, they noticed an interesting concept: cafes designed to be kid-friendly. These “guilt-free” cafes inspired the couple to create their own version at the current 89 Bethlehem Pike location.

“We’re very excited because we’ve been wanting to do this for a few years now,” Amanda said. “It is going to become Petite Matines, which means ‘Little Matines,’ and it’s a family-friendly neighborhood cafe.”

Petite Matines — scheduled to open in October — is adapted for young ones, complete with a children’s menu and family-friendly staff. According to the de Brucs, there will be plenty of scheduled activities such as cupcake decorating, sewing classes, or other arts and crafts. Hours will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., allowing families to take their children out for an early dinner if they don’t feel like cooking at home.

“It’s sometimes hard to enjoy a meal or drink when you have to look for your children and make sure they don’t bother anyone,” Arthur said. “So, this new place will be the opposite. You can go in and [kids] can have activities.”

With renovations underway at 23 W. Highland Ave. and future plans in place to modify 89 Bethlehem Pike, the de Brucs are busy. However, they hope staying busy now will pay off in more relaxation for their customers later.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.