After 41 years in Nob Hill, cozy French restaurant Rue Lepic quietly closed at the end of October, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle (the Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms).
Rue Lepic is listed as permanently closed on both Google and Yelp, and a new alcoholic beverage license for its 900 Pine Street address is currently pending approval. The restaurant’s phone number is disconnected, and their website no longer exists. SFGATE attempted to call and email owner Michiko Boccara but did not hear back in time for publication.
Boccara first opened Rue Lepic in 1982, serving “traditional French food so authentic you’ll think you’re in Paris,” read a 1994 article in the San Francisco Examiner. The restaurant’s menu featured dishes such as escargot, canard l’orange (duck breast with orange sauce), filet mignon and creme brûlée. Before opening her own spot, Boccara was the chef at nearby Nob Hill Cafe.
In 1993, Examiner critic Jim Wood called Rue Lepic “the ultimate French bistro: perfect food, slightly fussy but gracious decor, small room (36 seats), fresh flowers, white walls and pink accents, meticulous service.” In his review, he also mentioned that celebrities staying in nearby Nob Hill hotels had been known to eat there, including Robin Williams, Yoko Ono, Michael Keaton, Gene Hackman and Melanie Griffith.