Chef Uy Phu at Dennis’ Scargo Cafe creates the seafood cioppino dish
The seafood cioppino with swordfish, shrimp, scallops and mussels, as well as garlic bread, is new but still comfort food at Scargo Cafe.
Cape Cod Times
Brothers Patrick and Wanderson Coelho are purchasing Scargo Cafe from brothers Peter and David Troutman.The Coelhos plan to retain the restaurant’s name, menu, and staff.This is the Coelho brothers’ third restaurant acquisition on Cape Cod since 2022.
Brothers Patrick and Wanderson Coelho are buying Scargo Cafe, a fine dining restaurant started in Dennis Village 38 years ago by another set of brothers, Peter and David Troutman.
“We like the idea that it’s two brothers passing the torch to two other brothers,” Peter Troutman said, of selling the Route 6A restaurant he has owned with his brother.
Expect no changes ― other than who is signing the paychecks.
“Our plans are just to continue Peter and David’s legacy,” Patrick Coelho said Thursday in a joint telephone interview with Peter Troutman and the Cape Cod Times. “It will be the same name, same menu, and, as much as possible, the same staff. Whoever wants to stay, we are going to keep.”
Housed in what is reportedly the oldest building in Dennis, Scargo is known for signature dishes like seafood strudel and its tuna martini, as well as a history of visits from celebrities performing across the street at The Cape Playhouse. David Troutman, usually Scargo’s public face, has been involved with numerous efforts to support the community.
Scargo Cafe will be the third food business the Coelho brothers have purchased since 2022: That year, they bought the 200-seat Oliver’s and Planck’s Tavern in Yarmouth Port, about 1 1⁄2 miles from Scargo. Wanderson Coelho started at Oliver’s as a prep cook, his brother said, and worked his way up over 20 years to head chef.
Earlier this year, the Coelhos acquired Lambert’s Farm Market on Cotuit Road in Sandwich, keeping the market and ready-to-eat food service the same.
Northern Bank honored the Coelhos by telling their story on social media: “The brothers aren’t just running businesses, they’re preserving gathering spaces where generations of Cape Cod residents and visitors have created lasting memories,” said an ad telling their story.
“The idea is not to stop here,” Patrick Coelho said. “We see this window of opportunity where many successful Cape businesses need a succession plan. It makes sense.”
But, he added, “I don’t want to give the impression that we’re this big (investment) group because we’re not. We’re just two brothers.”
Peter Troutman said that, at 69, he is ready to spend more time traveling, which was not feasible with the restaurant’s management needs. But, he said, the Troutmans didn’t want to sell Scargo Cafe to just anyone.
‘They are the secret sauce’
“Our staff was our biggest concern,” he said. “They are the secret sauce. Because it’s a hospitality business.”
Coelho said he and his brother see the value in longtime staffers.
“Not only are we acquiring a successful business; there’s a staff that comes with it and we’re supported by very talented people.”
At a May 20 meeting, the Dennis Select Board approved transferring Scargo’s year-round liquor license to Wanderson Coelho. Patrick Coelho said the sale will be completed when the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission issues its ruling, most likely sometime in July.
Coelho and Troutman declined to comment on the selling price, until the sale is recorded. The Troutmans, Peter said, plan to stay on through at least the end of the year for a smooth transition.
Troutman said Scargo was not even for sale when the four brothers started discussing the possibilities in December. With the pending sale, Coelho said, there may be some cross-training for staff at Oliver’s and Planck’s and Scargo, but there will be no crossover of the restaurants’ very distinct personalities.
“Oliver’s and Scargo are very different restaurants and we understand that. Oliver’s is a casual American restaurant that appeals to the neighborhood, whereas Scargo is upscale fine dining and a destination spot,” Coelho said.
Editor’s note: This story was amended May 24 to fix typos.
Gwenn Friss is the editor of CapeWeek and covers entertainment, restaurants and the arts. Contact her at gfriss@capecodonline.com. Join her free Facebook group, Good Stuff at Cape Cod Restaurants, for news and the chance to participate in polls, etc.
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