Scope Quinic acid in its free form is broadly abundant in plants, and can accumulate in copious amounts in coffee, tea, and certain fruits. However, it has been mostly studied as chlorogenic acid, an ester of caffeic and quinic acids. When chlorogenic acid reaches the colon, it is hydrolyzed by microbial esterases releasing caffeic and quinic acids. While biotransformation of chlorogenic and caffeic acids have been elucidated by in vitro and in vivo studies, the gut metabolism of quinic acid has been so far overlooked. Methods and Results U‐13C‐Quinic acid is submitted to a colonic model using human fecal microbiota for assessing its metabolic fate. The metabolite profiles formed along microbial biotransformation are monitored by a combined metabolomics approach, using both 2D GC– and ultra‐HPLC–MS. Six metabolic intermediates are identified by incorporation of isotopic label. Conclusion Two parallel degradation pathways could be proposed: (1) an oxidative route, leading to aromatization and accumulation of protocatechuic acid, and a (2) reductive route, including dehydroxylation to cyclohexane carboxylic acid. Elucidating the biotransformation of food bioactives by the gut microbiota is of relevance for understanding nutrition, interindividual variability and potential effects on human metabolism. Quinic acid (QA) is an abundant compound in certain foods, e.g., coffee and cranberries. In this study, an in vitro colonic model, using human fecal suspension, assess the gut metabolism of U‐13C‐QA. Using GC– and LC–MS‐based metabolomics, six metabolic intermediates are selectively identified. Elucidating the gut microbial biotransformation of food bioactives, such as QA, is of relevance for understanding nutrition, interindividual variability, and potential effects on human metabolism.