A petite neighbourhood bistro with a big heart, newcomer Bar Francine has been an instant hit with its good-time Euro-leaning plates, nostalgic cocktails and dynamic all-Aussie wine list.
Bar Francine is Brisbane’s first pescatarian bar-bistro. If that sounds a bit staid and serious, don’t fret – it’s far from it. This is a venue that embodies all that’s quirky and great about Brisbane’s West End. There’s true hospitality at work beneath the charmingly rusty tin roof of this old-time standalone timber cottage. There’s also a fat slice of knockabout humour at play. Not to mention an impressive pool of talent – as seen in chef Brad Cooper’s deftly conceived, good-time Euro-leaning plates, and an equally inspired list of independent Aussie drinks by Chris Bancroft, formerly of Maeve Wine. It’s a brilliant follow-up to owners Adrienne Jory and Rick Gibson’s first venture, the super-tasty, plant-based taco venue El Planta in South Brisbane. And Bar Francine has already generated a well-deserved buzz since opening at the start of 2023.
Just crossing the threshold is all but guaranteed to raise your spirits, and sticking around certainly will – particularly if you love low-intervention vino, friendly service and carefully considered plates served promptly in high-energy surrounds. Interiors are a nostalgic yet unfussy mix of France-meets-Brisbane, with bentwood chairs and wooden tables, and high stools flanking an attractive timber-panelled, concrete-topped bar, green vintage tiles underfoot and op-shop art on the walls. Music is as buoyant as the front-of-house team. Expect an eclectic choice of beats, often leaning towards Euro disco hits, with everything as unpretentious and infectious as the rest of the package.
Open the evening with a cocktail, perhaps a pre-batched Bar Francine Negroni dialled up with Davidson plum bitters. Or treat your inner kid instead to a refreshing Francine Fruit Cup, coming fully loaded with a real Frosty Fruits icy pole. Or simply chill out with Franny’s take on classic shandy, aka the Bar Francine Refresher – a blend of Brisbane’s finest Milton Mango (XXXX Gold) and lemonade. This is definitively a wine bar but, even-handed as ever, it also offers punters a choice of beer from each of the states, so a Silver Bullet (Reschs from New South Wales) or a Bush Chook (Western Australia’s Emu Export) might appeal.
Dynamic is probably the best way to describe the ever-morphing wine list. It sometimes changes daily, but the philosophy stays constant: to showcase the skills of makers with integrity. The standout Aussie drops might include anything from Tapanappa Riesling from South Australia to reds like Vigneron Schmölzer and Brown’s juicy Beechworth sagrantino and Arfion’s Full Moon Pinot Noir.
Brad Cooper’s witty dishes reflect his varied CV, which includes time at Melbourne’s Cutler & Co. Non-pescatarians won’t miss meat a bit, not even in his tasty take on tartare – chopped beetroot brightened and deepened with tangy sauce bois boudran, aka fancy ketchup, and ringed with crisp skin-on chips. A version of the Gilda turns up on a smoky glass plate with cheese, roast capsicum and lemon jammed on a skewer alongside the more traditional trio of green olive, guindilla pepper and anchovy. It’s indicative of the generosity you’ll find right across the menu here. The onion fritti is cut to resemble a chrysanthemum and deep-fried bronze in the style of the US steakhouse bloomin’ onion. It comes out with a small crystal dish of green-hued mint jelly topped with piped crème fraîche. The glorious swimmer crab and creamed corn dish, meanwhile, has the lovely anise notes of tarragon and is doused in molten chilli butter. Add a side of puffed pizza fritta for mopping.
When Bar Francine first started pouring, the owners expected locals would be able to just drop in for a quiet glass of wine, but it’s been such an instant hit that it hasn’t quite worked out that way. The venue is on the petite side, so whoever you intend to take – and Franny welcomes all comers – book early. This is somewhere to laugh loudly and let your hair down, so bear in mind the healthy noise levels and tempting drinks list could thwart overly detail-driven D&Ms.
