When an acquaintance of mine asked me what my plans were for the August feature article on Unpublished, I explained that there was an incredible restaurant coming to downtown Ann Arbor. The inquiry that followed was predictable, “what type of food is it?”
I could have replied, “Wine, cheese and small plates,” which the restaurant itself has identified on its temporary sign. But I didn’t. Anyone who knows Abby and Steve of Spencer (formerly Central Provisions) knows that it doesn’t stop there.
Before I had the pleasure of drinking morning coffee with lovely Abby Olitzky (1/2 of Spencer), I was drawn to their business based on their punctilious and artistic approach to food. I followed their social media story and raced to The Espresso Bar any time they featured a (then) Central Provisions pastry. It was during my late July morning coffee with Abby that I learned that the food she and Steve create tastes different because it is.
Many of you know from following Spencer on Instagram or Facebook: Abby Olitzky and Steve Hall live for what they do. In the past week, we have learned that Spencer is hosting “A Summer Dinner” at Green Things Farm later this month, they are testing bread, they are creating apricot and lemon balm, “A Summer Dinner” at Green Things Farm later this month is (already) sold out and Steve is hosting a class on how to hand-stretch mozzarella and make ricotta at Sur La Table on Saturday.
Many of you know from following Spencer on Instagram or Facebook: Abby Olitzky and Steve Hall live for what they do. In the past week, we have learned that Spencer is hosting “A Summer Dinner” at Green Things Farm later this month, they are testing bread, they are creating apricot and lemon balm, “A Summer Dinner” at Green Things Farm later this month is (already) sold out and Steve is hosting a class on how to hand-stretch mozzarella and make ricotta at Sur La Table on Saturday.
Despite endless hours of honing these skills, these two have maintained positions at Sweet Heather Anne and Zingerman’s while perfecting their craft and gaining community support. In fact, Abby and Steve started doing pop-ups at The Bar at Braun Court over two and a half years ago (where they credit The Bar owner Eric Farrell for being an amazing supporter of small food ventures). However, their history doesn't begin here.
Due to the authentic and scrupulous craftsmanship that defines Spencer, it is no shock to learn that this restaurant’s roots grew from a soil made up of a serious love of food, imbibing and courtship. Abby and Steve met in San Francisco (Abby’s hometown) where she was working in a restaurant across the street from where Steve was working with cheese and wine. Abby smiles as she reveals their first date involved a loaf of Zingerman’s bread.
Due to the authentic and scrupulous craftsmanship that defines Spencer, it is no shock to learn that this restaurant’s roots grew from a soil made up of a serious love of food, imbibing and courtship. Abby and Steve met in San Francisco (Abby’s hometown) where she was working in a restaurant across the street from where Steve was working with cheese and wine. Abby smiles as she reveals their first date involved a loaf of Zingerman’s bread.
Steve was not native to San Francisco, but their similarities quickly came to light. Steve attended Brown to study performing arts and has real knack for design. "Steve thinks cheese is a near-perfect food, in every sense," Abby explains. As Steve started working in San Francisco, Abby noted that Steve was really a curator of food.
As Abby is from the monstrous metropolis that is San Francisco, she says that she has always seen the world through the lens of food, "I remember details of what all my friends eat and what their favorite foods are. I own too many cookbooks, and have a deep appreciation for fruits and vegetables." It's no wonder Abby went to NYU to study food and even attended culinary school at ICE in New York.
With Steve’s love of cheese (he recently placed third at the Cheese Monger Invitational in New York!) and wine and Abby’s passion for cooking and baking, they knew that they could create the kind of hybrid restaurant they had started seeing in San Francisco. “We started daydreaming…we want to share what we know with the Great Lakes region,” Abby recalls.
With Steve’s love of cheese (he recently placed third at the Cheese Monger Invitational in New York!) and wine and Abby’s passion for cooking and baking, they knew that they could create the kind of hybrid restaurant they had started seeing in San Francisco. “We started daydreaming…we want to share what we know with the Great Lakes region,” Abby recalls.
While Steve is actually from Ann Arbor, the initial plan was to take their part larder, part small plates and part cheese and wine bar plan to Detroit. In fact, the team had planned to move back to Ann Arbor temporarily when alterations were slowly made. Abby explains that Ann Arbor was meant to be a “landing pad, (but) I started to fall in love. I love the strong sense of community, our amazing friends, the walkability and the trees. It’s either a micro city or a big town, but it feels like the right size."
While the goal has always been to open and run a restaurant, the couple explains that it has taken two and half years to build it. They have been dedicating this time to their pop-ups, finding the perfect brick and mortar building, catering events, and hosting large seasonal dinners. Right now, however, Abby says Spencer “looks like two people and a whole network of friends trying to help us start our business. There is a lot of paperwork, a lot of planning and a lot of trying to stay on top of it all.” It's a wonder they ever have a spare moment to do an event.
While the goal has always been to open and run a restaurant, the couple explains that it has taken two and half years to build it. They have been dedicating this time to their pop-ups, finding the perfect brick and mortar building, catering events, and hosting large seasonal dinners. Right now, however, Abby says Spencer “looks like two people and a whole network of friends trying to help us start our business. There is a lot of paperwork, a lot of planning and a lot of trying to stay on top of it all.” It's a wonder they ever have a spare moment to do an event.
On August 1, I had some of my most cherished friends visiting Ann Arbor for the first time. I was delighted to hear that Spencer was doing a pop-up at The Espresso Bar on Saturday morning, as the combination of some of the best coffee and best food in Ann Arbor was something I could not wait to showcase. Not only this, but Brittany Campbell of The Home Ground joined us as we taste-tested multiple Spencer goods, and another Ann Arbor community connection was made.
With fall months quickly approaching, I eagerly ask the Spencer duo what the restaurant will be like. "We envision Spencer being a friendly neighborhood restaurant that balances the feel of a casual wine bar with delicious fare made with local ingredients," Abby explains. They hope that the restaurant can be open from late morning to late evening, serving take-out lunches, seasonal small plates, cheese and charcuterie boards and distinctive beer and wine.
With fall months quickly approaching, I eagerly ask the Spencer duo what the restaurant will be like. "We envision Spencer being a friendly neighborhood restaurant that balances the feel of a casual wine bar with delicious fare made with local ingredients," Abby explains. They hope that the restaurant can be open from late morning to late evening, serving take-out lunches, seasonal small plates, cheese and charcuterie boards and distinctive beer and wine.
"We hope Spencer will look like we invited you to eat in our home. We want it to be a familiar and communal space," Abby continues. "We want to provide informal but amazing service. We want to be honest, and not just with our ingredient sources. We want to provide a sense that we are (just) two people starting a small business. It is hard, and we want to be honest about expectations and delivering on them. We want to make people happy, and we also want understanding."
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