Michelin-starred three-star restaurant Quince, owned by Michael and Lindsay Tusk, has reopened its doors to the public after a temporary closure since January. The highly anticipated reopening introduces a reimagined Quince with a smaller space, featuring 40 seats, and a more expansive culinary experience. The Tusks have maintained some mystery around the details, but the restaurant is set to focus on local meat and seafood, emphasizing freshness and a forward-looking menu.
The dining options at the new Quince are diversified, departing from its previous exclusive tasting-menu format. While the tasting menu remains an option, priced at $270 for four courses and $360 for 10, the restaurant will now offer a la carte dishes in its bar and lounge spaces. Additionally, Quince plans to introduce a lunch service starting next year. This shift represents a more relaxed and personal approach, with Lindsay Tusk expressing a sense of freedom and a departure from the expectations associated with a three-star Michelin restaurant.
The menu, while still under wraps, will showcase local ingredients, including meat and seafood sourced from the restaurant's partner farm, Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas. Dishes are expected to be lighter, featuring elements like spiny lobsters, Sonoma-grown squab, and preserved porcini mushrooms. Quince aims to provide a dynamic and enjoyable dining experience, breaking away from the traditional fine-dining mold.
In terms of design, the revamped Quince offers a completely different ambiance. Guests are greeted by a plant-filled courtyard upon entry, and the front of the restaurant has been replaced with French doors that open onto the city. Vintage furniture that the Tusks acquired while traveling through Europe brightens the interior with California and French oak. The intention is to create a warm and inviting environment, a departure from the previous dark and austere setting.
Despite challenges faced by the restaurant industry in San Francisco, the Tusks are demonstrating their commitment to the city with the reopening of Quince. Alongside this fine-dining establishment, they operate Cotogna, a more casual Italian restaurant, the private-dining Officina, and the natural wine bar Verjus, set to reopen next year. Additionally, they plan to launch a gelato shop in the spring, incorporating ingredients from Fresh Run Farm.
The Tusks' vision for Quince is not solely focused on retaining its Michelin-three-star rating but rather on making it a welcoming and accessible addition to San Francisco's culinary scene. Through this venture, they hope to inspire others to embrace the city's potential, showcasing a belief in its culinary resurgence.
