Beloved French Classic Goes On the Market in Escondido

After spanning more than two decades as a dining fixture in Downtown Escondido, Vincent’s restaurant is up for sale. Its namesake chef and owner Vincent Grumel passed away early last year after a long and well-respected career for the classically-trained Frenchman, who opened several French restaurants in the San Diego area before settling into his eponymous Grand Avenue restaurant in the early 1990s.

Vincent’s wife Lisa Grumel has run the upscale French eatery since his passing alongside chef Brandon Hunsaker and told Eater that the decision to put the family-owned restaurant on the market is bittersweet. Grumel says she will continue to operate Vincent’s until a buyer is found, and doesn’t rule out the possibility of the next owner carrying on the restaurant’s legacy, as it has become neighborhood landmark and a dining destination for surrounding areas. She shared that she would love to see in continue in the vein of French fine dining, but acknowledged that community could also benefit from an authentic Mexican restaurant.

The property, which includes 3,000-square-feet of restaurant space with 25 feet of frontage on a 3,500-square-foot lot, holds one of only seven existing full liquor licenses in the Downtown Escondido area. It’s being marketed by Next Wave Commercial’s Paul Ahern and John Jennings of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank.