Tapenade French Restaurant to Move, Change Name This Summer

Last June, we learned that the venerable French restaurant, Tapenade, would have to vacate their La Jolla location to make way for a performing arts center. In December, Eater identified the possible new site, still within the neighborhood, at 7437 Girard Avenue.

Recently, Tapenade confirmed the move, telling the La Jolla Light that the 60-seat eatery will reopen this summer as Bistro Du Marché, with a menu sourced from the farmer's market that's held weekly just steps from the restaurant's new front doors.

Executive chef and owner Jean-Michel Diot says the design will be inspired by traditional French bistros, with a zinc bar and Art Deco style, and describes the concept as “bistronomie" a blend of traditional bistro fare and the high-end gastronomy executed by Michelin-star restaurants. Leading the kitchen will be Christophe Santos, Tapanade's current chef de cuisine, who has over seventeen years of cooking experience in France and the U.S.