Spruce
Plundering the appetizer menu is a smart move at Spruce, a masculine chocolate-colored boîte in Presidio Heights where neighborhood swells wash down grilled bavette steak and sinful duck fat–fried potatoes with big-ticket Cabs with prerecession abandon. Among the many reasons to love Spruce are a deep, serious Riesling list; chef Mark Sullivan’s awesome house-made charcuterie; and his knack for sneaking hyper-boutique bitterish greens even into meatier dishes like bacon-bolstered sweetbreads lyonnaise. Allowing guests to order the full affordable bar menu—great burgers and boudin blanc—in the fancy main room is a welcome populist gesture.
As Featured In...
From Food & Wine, Jul 2009
“Go to a restaurant with an F&W Best New Chef in the kitchen, and you’ll likely find a great wine director in the dining room...” MORE>>
From Food & Wine, Feb 2009
“To save both time and money, F&W streamlines recipes from San Francisco's elegant Spruce...” MORE>>
From Food & Wine, Jul 2008
“German riesling is very much the focus of the list created by ...” MORE>>
From Food & Wine, Apr 2008
“After making a name for himself at the Village Pub near Silicon Valley...” MORE>>
From the May 2008 Food & Wine Go List
Although it occupies a sprawling space, Spruce is a hard place to get a table. Mark Sullivan (an F&W Best New Chef 2002) prepares seasonal American dishes using as much produce from the restaurant’s farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains as possible. Complementing his cooking is a dense 46-page wine list filled with cult labels.
We loved: Butter-poached lobster with gnocchi and braised lettuce; raw and cooked zucchini salad.
Last updated May 2008 lastArticle = 7/2009 and lastAward =
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