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“ A great restaurant trapped inside a bar”

The Wishing Well is the newest neighborhood destination in Bella Vista, founded by long-time best friends Carmen Cappello and Chris Martino. They look forward to sharing traditions and building new memories with everyone who comes through the door!

      Chef Carmen Cappello's distinctive menu combines his own family recipes with techniques developed through his experiences at fine-dining restaurants throughout the country. Many ingredients are sourced from shops in the nearby Italian market or from local farms. The bar offers 12 beers on draught, a great selection of bottles and a robust wine list. Don’t forget to check out the one-of-a-kind specialty cocktails created by the Well’s resident mixologist, Iris Kampbell.

       Chef Cappello's signature dish, the SHAME Burger, is a heart-stopping, jaw-dropping monster of a burger featuring a hamburger patty, fried egg, cheese and scrapple served on a toasted bun. Are you up to the SHAME challenge?

The Wishing Well isn't all about consumption, though. Guests who order well shots will also be giving back to the community. A portion of the proceeds will go to local charities, as a way to give back to those within the neighborhood who need it. Even in its infancy, The Wishing Well has already supported the Bella Vista Civic Association, Philly PAWS, and the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. If you have a great suggestion for our next charity, please don’t hesitate to let us know about it!

Chris Martino and Chef Carmen Cappello’s relationship goes back a long way. So long, in fact, it begins with their fathers. Anthony Martino and Carmen Cappello Sr. were native sons of Philadelphia who began a life-long friendship some 70 plus years ago. Both successful business men who were committed to their families and their communities, they passed the virtues of integrity, commitment and diligence to their sons.

Growing up like brothers, Chris and Carmen not only came to understand what it takes to create a thriving business but also what it takes to create relationships that cross generations. After all, a great business is really just a great relationship between an establishment and the community it serves. Of course, they got into their fair share of trouble growing up. From local high-school parking lots to the Atlantic City boardwalk, there were always events that caused their fathers to shake their heads and snicker under their breath at the same time. But to hear about any of those times, you’ll just have to ask Chris and Carmen yourself. Suffice it to say, that over half a century after Tony and Carmen Sr. began laying their roots in Philadelphia, Chris and Carmen Jr. have settled in Bella Vista to continue on in that great tradition.

Chris Martino, General Manager & Co-owner: Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, Chris Martino has spent the better part of his adult life in one corner bar or another. With an eclectic employment history including stints in scientific publishing, used cars, real estate and video game writing, Martino is using his diverse history to create one of those friendly, corner bars he loves so much. Dedicated to providing a neighborhood environment matched with top notch service, food and libations he is excited to be creating the last stop on his decade-long pub crawl.

Carmen Cappello, Chef & Co-owner: A 16-year veteran of the restaurant industry, Carmen Cappello, comes back to his hometown for his latest venture. He is joining forces with Chris Martino, his business partner and best friend for more than 20 years to create The Wishing Well Public House. He used his signature style and made a name for himself in Atlanta by creating, “small plates” that was anything but ordinary. He blurred the boundaries between Southern Cuisine, French technique, Asian Flavors and Italian products creating what he called New South Brasserie. “It’s about showing what you can do with what people think is a simple cuisine and elevating it to its fullest potential.”

Cappello began his culinary career under Georges Perrier and Francesco Martorella at Brassier Perrier. Cappello moved to Atlanta and worked in some of the city’s finest restaurants, including: The Abbey, Atlanta Grill at the Ritz Carlton, M!X restaurant.lounge.bar, TWO, Urban Licks, and Sweet Lowdown. During his tenure as Chef de Cuisine at the Atlanta Grill at the Ritz Carlton, the Atlanta Grill won 5 diamond awards and the DiRona award. As executive chef at M!X, Cappello received 3 stars by Atlanta Magazine and Creative Loafing for his playful yet thought out cuisine.

In 2009, Chef Cappello founded his own company, Cappello & Co, LLC. His company specialized in cooking demonstrations, beer, wine and tequila dinners and kitchen remodeling. Cappello has also consulted on Feast Restaurant and Merge Restaurants in Atlanta and consulted on the reopening of The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California with Executive Chef Thomas Ryan

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