Cafe L'Aube opens on Rittenhouse Square

If Rittenhouse Square seems more alive lately, it has to be the caffeine.

You have La Colombe on 19th Street north of the square, the new Metropolitan Cafe on 19th Street south of the square, and the new Joe on the square itself at 1845 Walnut.

Over the weekend, Cafe L'Aube - the roaster/creperie with locations at 17th and Wallace and in the new NextFab studio on Washington Avenue - opened inside the 222 Rittenhouse condo building. It's just to the west of Rittenhouse Square, on Locust Street.

Owner Jean-Luc Fanny and manager Rachel Roberts have outfitted the place with an Art Nouveau look.

Hours now are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. but will extend to 7 p.m. within the month.