One of the country’s most acclaimed culinary couples has finally brought back their fan favorite wine bar.
Michael and Lindsay Tusk, the duo behind the Quince three Michelin stars In San Franciscoreopened their wine bar and restaurant on Friday VerjuiceSF Eater reported Monday. The venue originally opened in January 2019, but was forced to close about a year later due to the pandemic. More than four years later, it’s finally back, with a few updates and a few callbacks to its original form.
“My goal is for Verjus 2.0 to be… everything (customers) remember,” Lindsay told Eater. “I don’t want to disappoint anyone and have it not be as good as before.”
Dauphin potatoes
Ed Anderson
Verjus is above all a wine bar, with Matthias Cattelin at the helm of the programming. There are 20 champagnes for less than $100 a bottle, with a focus on organic and atypical wines. The Tusks also expanded the bar’s remit, bringing in Thad Vogler (who helped at Quince and the couple’s Italian restaurant, Cotogna) to design a cocktail menu that complemented the wines. “The cocktail program is actually very simple, French-inspired,” Lindsay said. “Some of the ingredients might be associated with French cocktails, but it’s really very clean, very balanced. It’s almost more of an aperitif (or cocktail) style as a prelude to the wines. Next month they will also launch a wine club: the three tiers allow you to opt for just one bottle per month, three bottles or three rare and unique ones.
When it comes to food, Walker Stern has been named executive chef to oversee a menu of rotating small plates and main courses. Expect artisan cheeses, house-made charcuterie, duck confit and an omelette that may include locally harvested mushrooms, black truffle or Comté. The menu will be displayed on a marquee sign that was also present in the first version of Verjus, a design element inspired by a Barcelona restaurant.
Inside Verjus
Will Brinkerhoff
“I really wanted to maintain its soul as a wine bar, so it wouldn’t be considered a restaurant,” Lindsay said. “I want to surprise people, I want to exceed their expectations. They think they’re coming to your typical wine bar, and then they’re really impressed with the quality of the food.
The design also maintains a glossy red ceiling that diners will find familiar, inspired by the Parisian wine bar Le Baron Rouge, Lindsay told Eater. Newer features, meanwhile, include warm wood floors, a private dining room, and an antique metal chandelier. Additionally, the Tusks added a DJ booth, with much of the music coming from Michael’s personal record collection. Dancing is encouraged if you feel like it.
