Spruce Restaurant
San Francisco, CA

Spruce is a hidden gem in San Francisco’s Presidio area. The building selected for this restaurant housed a “car barn” in the 1930’s. The historic, monumental, brick, arched façade and limestone paving that was repurposed from a French church made it a unique property.

Ignition Architecture consulted with Gregory Klosowski on the conversion of this 6000 SF space into a high-end restaurant, bar and take-out Charcuterie that married historical and industrial elements with a soft modern aesthetic. A series of false ceilings and arches were stripped back to expose an intriguing arrangement of steel trusses and seismic frames. The consciously minimal palette makes for a visually interesting space that highlights these elements, particularly in the evening.

A handsome, mahogany wall with a unique, modern chandelier provides a backdrop for the host stand at the entry. To the right of the entry is the lounge with a mahogany bar, a tremendous mirrored and silver framed bottle display and a fireplace. To the left of the entry is a separate entry to the Charcuterie where people can pick up meats or prepared meals from a large marble counter. At the opposite end of the restaurant is a dramatic, mahogany and glass, cooled wine cabinet, standing nearly two stories tall that separates the main dining room from the private dining room and kitchen. A central, glassy “monument wall” runs perpendicularly between these two walls and divides the main dining room from the lounge and bar.