Nearly 12 years after debuting its seasonally-driven menu,the bistro Lucca in Irvine has closed.

“While we have a special place in our heart for Lucca, our first restaurant in Orange County, we made a business decision to close Lucca and focus on Provenance,” owner and executive chef Cathy Pavlos said in a statement released late Wednesday.

Lucca, a mainstay in the Quail Hill Shopping Center, earned accolades early on for its farm-to-table European-influenced dishes. Though she was trained as an architect, Pavlos opened Lucca in August 2005 to showcase years of inspired cooking she learned from her grandmother. Many recipes are also based on Pavlos’ favorite restaurants in Italy, France and Greece.

Lucca’s popularity grew as it became a go-to spot for a growing group of diners seeking healthier, vegetable-packed dishes. Pavlos also was one of the first chefs to introduce Sunday Suppers at her restaurant, a trend that is playing out today in many contemporary chef-driven bistros in Orange County.

Building on the success of Lucca, Pavlos opened the more formal Provenance restaurant in 2014 at Eastbluff Shopping Center in Newport Beach. It replaced Sage, revered for its locally sourced menu. Pavlos kept the restaurant’s farm fresh tradition by creating a 1,300-square-foot organic, raised-bed garden in the patio. The garden supplies up to 30 percent of the ingredients needed for the restaurant’s Napa-inspired menu.

Pavlos said Lucca is transitioning “into good hands, as the new operators will feature a wonderful new Italian inspired menu and a full bar. They are very excited to be a part of the Quail Hill Community.” For now, the new owners are keeping the restaurant as Lucca until they are able to launch their new concept.

“We want to thank all of our loyal guests for being the driving force to help Lucca earn great reviews and honors, and become one of the most unique and dynamic eateries in Orange County,” she said.

Contact the writer: nluna@scng.com

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