L'Oursin has a been a favorite of ours since it opened in 2016. It was the perfect spot for a glass of natural wine or a romantic dinner date. The rotating menu was an exciting and refreshing take on French flavors that was uniquely Northwest. When dining-in at restaurants paused in 2020, owners JJ Proville and Zac Overman reinvented their dining room to offer "Epicerie," a carefully curated market and wine shop. Many of the small businesses in our Capitol Hill neighborhood had to quickly pivot last year, innovating new ways to serve our community during the pandemic. The ever-expanding grocery program includes many of the same in-house dinner favorites from their dine-in menu, now prepackaged for easy at-home cooking. Also, find charcuterie, smoked fish, and an extensive dry goods assortment in addition to fresh fish, meat, and vegetables from small local farms. Most notable is their vast assortment of natural wine, a unique collection of spirits, and pre-bottled in-house cocktails. This thoughtful offering takes into consideration the needs of our community. As L’Oursin works towards reopening indoor dining, it looks like there are plans to have the market become a permanent offering. (And for that, we’re very thankful!)