San Francisco - July 30, 2007

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Spruce Opens

If you live in Presidio Heights, it’s always a beautiful day in your neighborhood (pushing your stroller, chatting with the butcher at Bryan’s, dinner with friends at Garibaldi’s).

Now you can make believe that you live there, too, when Spruce opens on Thursday.

Built in an historic auto barn from the 1930s, the 5,000-square-foot space welcomes you in four ways. Kick back with 70 wines by the glass and a newspaper in the cozy library lounge. Clink cocktails with grown-ups at the dapper bar. Then pick how you want to eat: Chef Mark Sullivan’s menu can be dressed up or down.

Go fancy with turmeric-poached blue foot chicken with farro garganelli and pepper-and-eggplant ragout or seasonal five-course tasting menus. A burger on a homemade English muffin hits the spot from any seat in the house. If you don’t feel like cooking (ever), grab takeout (paninis, cheese, house-made charcuterie) at the adjacent cafe.

The restaurant starts taking reservations today. So when doors open, it will still be a neighborly day in the beauty wood.

Spruce, 3640 Sacramento Street, between Spruce and Locust Streets (415-931-5100 or sprucesf.com).