We've been wondering what's going on in the former home of laid-back neighborhood wine bar Barrique (461 Pacific Ave.), which closed on April 10th. Turns out the team at Quince and casual sister restaurant Cotogna, both located across the street, plans to move in sometime in the spring. According to Inside Scoop, they hope to open a "no-reservations bar (beer and wine only) that also happens to serve food."

Quince owners Michael and Lindsay Tusk have run a top-notch operation since opening in Pacific Heights in 2003; they moved the restaurant to Jackson Square in 2009. In 2013, Quince landed two Michelin stars, and in the summer of 2014, the restaurant closed for two months for a major renovation (though it held pop-up dinners in nearby Hedge Gallery). The more casual Cotogna, which opened next door in 2010, holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand rating. 

Barrels at Barrique.

Before Barrique closed, we were told that the landlord had raised the rent too high for it to remain in the space. However, it turns out the bar also was having some issues with its liquor license. The California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control posted a notice on the building on October 1st, saying the liquor license had been suspended indefinitely. We asked why, and were told there was an issue with allowing people to leave with recorked bottles of wine. The ABC also wasn't notified of a change in ownership.