À la Bonne Franquette
A pair of French expats will be bringing a taste of their home country to New Farm, when À la Bonne Franquette opens to the public on Brunswick Street next week. Named after the old-school French expression meaning ‘simple’ or ‘unfussy’, À la Bonne Franquette – described as part traditional French deli and part handy takeaway pit stop – will give locals a straightforward selection of both hearty and tasty morsels. The team has taken over the cosy space most recently home to Italian wine bar Ombra for the concept, which will serve an array of imported products like pate, terrine, French sweets, snails, cheeses and cured meats, lobster bisque and French caviar. The kitchen will be tasked with prepping a range of take-home meals, with a menu set to include a number of entrees, mains, sides and desserts – think French onion soup, quiche Lorraine, coq au vin, beef bourguignon, raclette, ratatouille, gratin dauphinois, chocolate mousse and creme caramel. Though geared towards grab-and-go custom, À la Bonne Franquette will also boast two small tables for a select few to dine in. Check in next week for a thorough look inside À la Bonne Franquette.

Night Feast
Brisbane Powerhouse’s salivation-worthy spectacular Night Feast is returning for another year of culinary extravagance from October 16. Brisbane’s leading chefs will unite for a month of festive feasting, transforming the Powerhouse into a gastronomic playground. This year’s immersive culinary adventure itinerary has just been announced, with the line-up featuring a delectable list of dining institutions and rising stars. Exciting newcomers for this year’s program include Central – the latest project from the Southside and Rick Shores team – Allonda, Gelato Messina and more. You can get all of the delicious details on this year’s program in our full announcement.

City Winery
Last week, Brisbane oenophiles were devastated to by the news that Fortitude Valley’s own urban winery, City Winery, had entered voluntary liquidation on Tuesday September 3. In an announcement distributed to media, the City Winery team revealed that all City Winery locations – including its Wandoo Street headquarters and the Newstead, Graceville, Hawthorne and Milton locations of its bar-meets-cellar-door hybrid Ardo’s – would close, effective immediately. City Winery Brisbane’s former director and CEO Dave Cush cited “a drastic drop in consumer spending fuelled by the current cost of living and interest rate environment, coupled with increases in labour and operational costs,” as key factors that had a compounding impact on the business. “To our customers and clients affected by this closure – I offer my most heartfelt apologies and thank you for the years of support you’ve given us,” adds Dave. “You’re the reason we kept going as long as we could.”

Alfred Street Bar & Bottlo
Here’s some good news for fans of long-running craft-beer bar, Brewski. After closing their famous Caxton Street boozer last month, Brewski owners Antoinette Pollock and Matt Emmerson have signed the lease on a new spot in Fortitude Valley – a two-level venue previously home to long-running gin and cocktail bar Dutch Courage. The duo is currently in the process of converting the space into bar and liquor store hybrid Alfred Street Bar & Bottlo, a concept that melds the best bits of Brewski and its bottle shop-offshoot My Beer Dealer. Once complete, Alfred Street Bar & Bottlo will boast shelves and fridges stocking everything from Australian craft beers to artisanal spirits and new-wave wines, while an on-site bar (equipped with six taps) will dispense a rotating selection of the team’s favourite drops. The site’s existing kitchen equipment will also be put to good use, with Ant and Matt still toying around with ideas for Alfred Street Bar & Bottlo’s food offering. Alfred Street Bar & Bottlo will open in mid-to-late October – read more about the plans here.

Mademoiselle
Portside Wharf has revealed the first details of its newest culinary resident, Mademoiselle – a chic Parisian-inspired bistro from the Rise Bakery team opening this year. Looking to give diners an authentic slice of French cuisine across lunch and dinner services, Rise Bakery’s co-owners Harry Ohayon and Maxime Bournazel will be transforming a vacant 245-sqm site with a healthy dose of art de vivre. Sydney-based architect Tom Mark Henry and local construction crew Lowry Group will be overseeing the venue’s design and fit-out – expect bistro-style staples like marble and stone, complemented by bold colour palettes and cosy booth seating as well as 100 sqm of alfresco dining space. On the menu, Harry and Maxime have teased timeless French cuisine with some modern inflections, including brasserie staples like rotisserie meats, gourmet salads and daily chef specials. Mademoiselle will join the likes of gastropub Portside Social, American-themed sports bar The Ballpark and New York-inspired burger spot Dumbo as members of Portside Wharf’s exciting wave of 2024 openings.

It’s Mirchi Healthy Indian
The crew behind beloved Paddington restaurant It’s Mirchi Healthy Indian recently celebrated the opening of a brand-new location. Last month, the team cut the ribbon on the new space over on Stafford Road in Stafford, marking the occasion with a lavish Bollywood-inspired soiree. It’s Mirchi’s owners, husband-and-wife duo Urvashi and Akshay, have earned a reputation for their commitment to creating a stress-free dining experience for those with severe allergies and intolerances, ensuring It’s Mirchi’s menu covers all bases – we’re talking vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and certified-organic options. Fans of It’s Mirchi will be thrilled to hear that the restaurant’s crowd-favourite dishes are all available at its Stafford location, including its chicken tikka, spinach and onion pakoras, kerala curry and jalfrezi. The space itself has been furnished with pieces sourced and shipped from India, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere accented with traditional elegance.

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