The Best French Restaurants in Melbourne
We owe a lot of our culinary terms to the French. Chefs, sommeliers and maître d’s? All français. The same goes for the front- and back-of-house structures of modern restaurants, which originated in eighteenth-century Paris.
As for French food itself, it often springs to mind when picturing restaurants and dining. Almost every chef started off training in classical French cooking, and for good reason: Gallic gastronomic techniques are the cornerstone of modern cookery. Melbourne has no shortage of excellent French restaurants worth your time. From brasseries and bistros, to bastions of both haute and nouvelle cuisine, here’s our selection.
Restaurant
France-Soir
A faithful rendition of the Parisian bistro experience. It’s seen plenty of action since it first opened in 1986, but even then it’s hard to imagine the cellar – stocked with more than 4000 French wines – ever running dry.
Restaurant
Bistro Thierry
Follow the black-and-white striped awning to find this smart French bistro. Enjoy signature dishes that the team has mastered over 20 years: French onion soup; escargots served in a buttery garlicky sauce; boeuf bourguignon; and crème brûlée.
Restaurant
Reine
Gothic vaulted ceilings, stained windows and solid granite columns define this grand brasserie, in the former Melbourne Stock Exchange. Order freshly-shucked oysters from the raw bar, top-grade beef and cheese from the roving trolley.
Restaurant
Philippe
Victorian-bred steaks fired over Japanese coals. A rotisserie chicken so good it’s never left the menu. And a wine list that eschews quantity for quality. Chef-owner Philippe Mouchel’s signature is all over this basement bistro in more ways than one.
Restaurant
Entrecote
After seven years in South Yarra, this well-loved brasserie has found a new home in Prahran. Alongside signature dishes are a roving caviar trolley, a raw seafood bar, a late-night supper menu and French-inspired cocktails from the brain behind Romeo Lane.
Restaurant
Bistro Gitan
Named after the French word for gypsy, Gitan has a menu that wanders a little like its namesake, allowing hints of Spanish and Italian influences into the modern French mix. It all comes together inside a classic Victorian-era building by a family of top Melbourne restaurateurs.
Restaurant
L'Hôtel Gitan
Restaurateur Jacques Reymond’s vision of a Melbourne pub. It's more about fostering the pop-in, pop-out approach, without abandoning the flair where it counts. The food leans slightly more towards France than at Bistro Gitan, but there’s a notable showing of Aussie talent on the wine list.
Restaurant
Smith St Bistrot
Scott Pickett returns to his roots at this sexy inner-city bistro. With its caviar service, playful spins on Gallic staples and a dining room that recalls Paris in the 1930s, this place is a spirited entry to the genre by one of Melbourne's best chefs.
Restaurant
Maison Batard
This sprawling four-level dining destination is where you’ll find a supper club, terrace bar and silver service French restaurant offering lighter takes on French bistro classics.
Restaurant
Bon Ap' Petit Bistro
Bon Ap’ differs from most French places in town. While there are steak frites and French onion soup on the menu, you won't see any waistcoated staff here. It’s partway between a bar and a good neighbourhood eatery – one where you can drop in early for a croissant or later for drinks and house charcuterie.
Restaurant
Bistro Guillaume
French dining by renowned chef Guillaume Brahimi. The high culinary standard set by his now-closed bistro at the Sydney Opera House is in full effect here, but the setting is more casual. And while it’s not quite the river Seine, the Yarra is an idyllic backdrop for Brahimi’s nostalgic dishes.
Restaurant
Chancery Lane
Scott Pickett's take on a modern French brasserie brings old-world European elegance to a heritage CBD building – with ritzy green marble, dramatic arched windows and candelabras throughout. Start with caviar atop buckwheat blinis, then move onto Parisian gnocchi and premium beef from the grill.
Bar
Bar Magnolia
A petite, dimly lit wine bar serving classic French bistro fare, like sweet and savoury tartes tatin, crème brûlée and coq au vin with a twist.
Restaurant
Frederic
A slick all-day eatery from the Reymond siblings, with an emphasis on relaxed yet elegant dining.
Restaurant
Chez Bagou
This softly lit French restaurant serves up bistro classics with a contemporary twist. Start with crowd-favourite seared scallops, then move on to tender boeuf bourguignon and finish with tarte tatin. Or push the boat out with top-tier French brandy.
Restaurant
The French Brasserie
A dependable brasserie serving French classics with modern flourishes to the suited and booted. As you’d expect, wine appears at every turn, from backlit cabinets and a wall of champagne bottles to bar shelves that stretch towards the lofty ceiling.
Restaurant
Tartine
This sunny corner spot service bistro classics and tartines – the French-style open sandwiches. Come for a fancy crab tartine or satisfying steak frites. Plus, a provedore where you can stock up on fancy staples.
Restaurant
St-Germain
Striped awnings and wicker chairs give this corner spot big Parisian vibes. But it’s not strictly French. Alongside bistro favourites find sophisticated European dishes (and classically French desserts).
Restaurant
Bistrot Bisou
This is top Sydney chef Luke Mangan’s love letter to French cuisine. Enjoy New Zealand salmon cold-smoked in-house and a Calvados-soaked apple tarte tatin alongside a French-inspired cocktail list with eight Martinis.
Restaurant
Ruckers Hill
Inside the unassuming north-side nook, you’ll find French-leaning fare accompanied by a generous list of drops. It’s steered by an ex-Bistro Thierry chef.
-684aac461c.webp)
