A little bit about us:
Bistro Poplar opened December 31, 2007, after a year of construction. The bistro is located in the historic Hopkins Building, which dates back to 1895. The building originally contained two storefronts on the first floor and one apartment on the second floor. Over the past 100 years, the building has been home to a variety of businesses, including an insurance office, a beauty shop, land surveyors, a law office, and an amusement equipment rental company. The Hopkins Building was also home to the original location of Lednum's Jewelers and the newspaper, The Dorchester Star.
Camalu Restaurant Group, LLC purchased the Hopkins Building in 2006, with the singular intention of renovating the space for a restaurant. The owners of the bistro are all proud members of the Cambridge community and were only interested in creating a local business.
While the choice of locating a French bistro in downtown Cambridge may seem surprising to some, there are actually strong historical and natural ties between Dorchester County and France. Dorchester County was first settled in 1659 by Monsieur Antoine LeCompte, a native of the Picardy province of France. Msr. LeCompte settled in the area now known as Castle Haven Neck, outside of Cambridge. Like many others of his time, LeCompte came to America seeking refuge from the religious persecution of Huguenots by Cardinal Richelieu in France. Fortunately for him, the areas of Picardy and Dorchester are similar geographically. His family flourished and many Huguenot decendents remain in the area today.
  Besides the historical link between Dorchester and France, there are also natural ties between the regions of Dorchester and Picardy. Both areas have strong ties to the land and water. Picardy is a coastal region in the north of France and, like Dorchester, agriculture and seafood are major industries. Chef/owner Ian Campbell chose to focus on the region because of these similarities.
Like all true bistros, Bistro Poplar is open for both lunch and dinner, serving food from 12-11pm. Chef Campbell uses many local ingredients for the bistro's traditional recipes. Simple and hearty are good descriptions of bistro fare, and Bistro Poplar strives to remain true to these while providing attentive, yet unassuming service. The menu changes seasonally, with freshness and quality being the main focus.
Bistros are traditionally community staples, where all people feel comfortable to come and enjoy a meal among their neighbors. Bistro Poplar hopes to continue that tradition, bringing people together in our beautiful and historic downtown to enjoy good company and, of course, great food!
About the chef:
Chef Ian Campbell began his culinary career at a young age, working after school at Portside and Dayton's restaurants in Cambridge. He received his training at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and graduated with an Associate in Culinary Arts degree in 2003.
In Maryland, he trained with Chef Cindy Wolf at Charleston in Baltimore and worked in Easton as the Sous Chef of the Inn at Easton with Chef Andrew Evans. Campbell also worked in Miami Beach, Florida, at Rumi Restaurant and Lounge. Most recently, Chef Campbell worked as part of Thomas Keller Restaurant Group in Yountville, California. He first worked as a Sous Chef at Bouchon and then helped open Chef Keller's newest venture, Ad Hoc.
Campbell's true ambition has always been to return to Cambridge and open his own restaurant. In 2007, he left California and returned to Cambridge to begin construction of Bistro Poplar! He is fortunate to be supported by his proud family. Bistro Poplar is owned by Chef Campbell, his mother Donna Campbell, his aunt Claudia McDonald, and his grandmother Marilyn Luthy. He lives in Cambridge with his wife, Catherine.
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