what are the best french restaurants in sydney

What Are the Best French Restaurants in Sydney?

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    The home of baguettes, mimes, and a few sorts of illegal booze elsewhere. Their commitment to high-quality cuisine is legendary, and they are the only country to have patented a specific kiss.

    While Sydney's French choices aren't as extensive as the city's Chinese or Italian options, a Francophile renaissance is in progress. These restaurants offer a taste of Paris in Sydney, with crepes and steak frites.

    Best French Restaurants

    Bistrot 916

    At chef Dan Pepperell's Bistrot 916, you may order from an a la carte menu, including standard French fare without the cliched clichés. Main courses range from duck and mushroom to seafood incarnations of the classic steak frites. 

    The previous Lotus 2.0 location has been given a subtle makeover in a restaurant-style, complete with black walls, dark timber panelling, and draped candlelight tables. As expected, the wine list features many recent releases from renowned winemaking regions like Burgundy, Champagne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and excellent domestic vintages.

    Hubert

    In the city's heart proper, Hubert will transport you back in time to 19th-century France and Belle Époque Paris. As soon as you sit down, you'll want to start making plans for your return, thanks to the romantic atmosphere created by the candlelight, vintage music, expertly made cocktails, and delicious food. The duck parfait, gruyère soufflé, and quaint atmosphere are worth the trip alone.

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    Bistro Moncur

    One year in the brutal and often unforgiving hospitality industry is the equivalent of several decades in the rest of the globe. It's more than justified to pop the cork on a few bottles of Champagne to toast the continued success of Bistro Moncur, a classic French restaurant in Woollahra that first welcomed diners in 1993. 

    You will want to come back repeatedly because of the tempting options available, such as the three-course set menu, the two-course prix fixe lunch menu, and the unique dishes and events featured regularly. Our advice? Lemon vanilla creme brûlée is the perfect ending.

    Armorica

    Owner Andrew Becher of Franca & Parlar also opened the French brasserie Armorica, accommodating 150 people. Armorica, located on Crown Street in Surry Hills, offers Parisian joie de vivre to Australia by serving the finest Australian seafood and meats in the spirit of Northern French cuisine.

    Bouillon l'Entrecote

    You've got French food fantasies. You can eat to your heart's delight at Bouillon L'entrecote, conveniently located near Circular Quay. The French onion soup is excellent, as is the Wagyu tartare and the steak, which is cooked to perfection and topped with the restaurant's "famous secret sauce" and served with homemade French fries and a side salad. Everything was, of course, complemented by excellent wine.

    Chouchou

    Chouchou are intimate cafe where you can enjoy French classics in a setting inspired by Paris by Parisian expat Arthur Gruselle. The café's atrium, dining room, and terrace-style footpath sitting are all decorated with vegetation. Wines from France, New Zealand and Australia are available, as are classic French-inspired cocktails. Try them with a homemade raclette, hand-cut beef tartare. One possibility is the Green Valley, which combines absinthe, gin, lemon, apple, and lime; another is the Violette, which combines violet peach schnapps, gin, syrup, and lemon.

    Porcine

    Famous chefs Nik Hill, formerly of the Old Fitzroy Hotel in Woolloomooloo, and Harry Levy, formerly of the Italian restaurant Don Peppino's, own and run Porcine. This no-frills French restaurant uses the entire animal, from snout to curly tail. A new coat of paint and a collection of gilded antique fixtures have converted the former Micky's location on Oxford Street into a picture-perfect Parisian café.

    The restaurant receives a whole pig every two weeks. It uses every part of it to make ham, terrines, and pork chops, but for something special, order the canard à la presse, a roasted duck served in a variety of ways, including the legs in a casserole of shallots, mushrooms, and Madeira, the neck as a sausage, and the breast perfectly portioned in a sauce thickened with duck blood. It can only be purchased in advance and is only served at night.

    Franca Brasserie

    It's no wonder that the friendly atmosphere of this local staple in Potts Point welcomes you the moment you walk through the door, given the establishment's philosophy of accepting everyone with open hands and open minds. Franca Brasserie's declaration that "food is our common language" is music to the ears of anybody who appreciates creative modern fare. 

    Chez Crix

    The Cricketer's in Surry Hills is a watering hole frequented by young and young-at-heart locals. University students, skaters, hostel staff, and cricket-ground visitors looking for a drink all congregate here. The pub's upstairs eatery has never before been a French(ish) bistro. Even if you don't speak French, the staff at Chez Crix can still make you feel welcome and serve you wonderful French meals with a heaping helping of joie de vivre. Get the mushroom vol-au-vent, please. 

    The Strand Bistro

    The bar in the Strand Hotel is well-known. After a century in business, the Crown and William Street bar undergoes renovations. The Strand, a French cafe on the hotel's ground floor, is decorated in a Belle Époque style.

    Spoonfuls of French mignonette sauce, and beluga caviar are on the table. Alex Kavanagh, the head chef, prepares dishes like steak frites, duck pie, Lé Bùrger Gruyere, and baguettes packed with cultured butter. There are 49 whiskies, a French cocktail, and Australian.

    The Charles Grand Brasserie and Bar

    The Brasserie is the heart of Etymon Projects' new drinking and dining complex, so it's no surprise that the overall experience seems so comfortable and magnificent despite being open for five days. There's a wine bar, a 24-hour restaurant, a speakeasy for cocktails after hours, and the enormous Brasserie itself.

    Manon Brasserie

    You may dine retro-style at the Queen Victoria Building's Manon Brasserie. Red banquettes, an antique bronze and brass bar, a mirrored wall, and magnificent wood furniture can all be found here. Eighty people can enjoy the sunshine on the patio. Alcohol with breakfast and dinner? Originating in Europe.

    Thomas Boisselier, a French chef, is in charge of the restaurant's weekend late-night service, lunch, breakfast, and dinner takeout and delivery. Croissants, Brittany crepes, crab, egg meurette, omelettes, and French toast are all available for breakfast. Savoury souffle, beef tartare, steak frites, duck a l'orange, freshly shucked oysters, and caviar are just some dishes that may be enjoyed here for lunch or dinner. Crepes Suzette, mocha, and mille-feuille made with Valrhona chocolate are must-tries. 

    Beckett's

    Darling Mills, an early forerunner of Sydney's farm-to-plate movement, called 134 Glebe Point Road home for many years; today, it is occupied by Beckett's. With the help of playwright and director Wendy Beckett, chef Jeff Schroeter has opened a French brasserie reminiscent of a New York or Parisian cafe from the 1950s.

    Loulou

    Loulou, a bakery, restaurant, and butcher, is across the river. Boulangerie chief Brendon Woodward will make a delightful breakfast. Loulou's traiteur is near the boulangerie. French butcher manages this delicatessen. Chicken parfait, terrine, Toulouse sausage, and saucisson sec are served. Billy Hannigan's Loulou serves lighter French favourites. Lunch menu items include caviar, steak tartare cooked by hand with chicken parfait on warm brioche, and rhubarb soufflé or apricot feuille.

    Gavroche Chippendale

    Authentic French bistro fare is the focus at this Chippendale restaurant. The chef's grandpa is honoured with pâté en croûte and French onion soup. In addition, we offer escargots, king crab thermidor, and a traditional salad made with melted goat cheese.

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    Bistro St Jacques

    Since it serves only the best, Redfern's Pitt Street cafe has been a neighbourhood favourite for eleven years. St. Jacques' Southern French menu includes olive oil, shellfish, and fresh veggies instead of butter and cream like "timeless" French restaurants.

    Fans love the grilled scallops and mushroom duxelles and gruyere, which go well with the organic, biodynamic, and low-intervention wines. Bistro Jacques' vegan offerings dispel the myth that French food isn't vegetarian.

    Bistro Papillon

    More than a decade ago, this low-key French café at the fashionable end of CBD perfected the art of keeping things simple while remaining extravagantly French. They play the standards, but they play them exceptionally well. 

    Felix

    This stunning Merivale offering appears plucked from a side street in Paris, with its dark curved-back chairs, white subway tiles, and tiny small table lights. But the cuisine makes it.

    If you want to feel like you're in France or any country without really leaving the country, Felix is your best bet. The venue's major draw is an iced-down fresh seafood surrounded by wine racks and illuminated by chandeliers imported from France. Merivale's interpretation of French luxury is complete with many kinds of caviar and full-rock lobster. 

    Conclusion 

    Sydney is known for its high-quality cuisine, with a Francophile renaissance underway. The city offers a taste of Paris in Sydney, with restaurants offering crepes and steak frites. Some of the best French restaurants in Sydney include Bistrot 916, which offers a la carte menus with standard French fare without the cliched clichés, Hubert, which transports diners to 19th-century France and Belle Époque Paris, and Armorica, a French brasserie that accommodates 150 people.

    Bouillon l'Entrecote offers French food fantasies, with its French onion soup, Wagyu tartare, and steak cooked to perfection. Chouchou, an intimate cafe inspired by Paris, offers French classics in a setting inspired by Paris by Parisian expat Arthur Gruselle. Franca Brasserie, a local staple in Potts Point, has a friendly atmosphere and a philosophy of accepting everyone with open hands and minds.

    Chez Crix, a pub frequented by university students, skaters, hostel staff, and cricket-ground visitors, serves French meals with a heaping helping of joie de vivre. The Strand Bistro, a Belle Époque-style cafe on the hotel's ground floor, is decorated in a Belle Époque style.

    The Charles Grand Brasserie and Bar, located in the heart of Etymon Projects' new drinking and dining complex, offers a comfortable and magnificent experience despite being open for five days. Manon Brasserie, located in the Queen Victoria Building, offers retro-style dining with red banquettes, an antique bronze and brass bar, a mirrored wall, and magnificent wood furniture.

    Beckett's, an early forerunner of Sydney's farm-to-plate movement, is a French brasserie reminiscent of a New York or Parisian cafe from the 1950s. Loulou, a bakery, restaurant, and butcher, serves lighter French favourites, while Gavroche Chippendale focuses on authentic French bistro fare.

    In summary, Sydney offers a diverse range of French restaurants, with some offering a taste of Paris in Sydney. The city's commitment to high-quality cuisine and the diverse French restaurants make it an ideal destination for those seeking a taste of Paris in Sydney. Redfern's Pitt Street cafe, Bistro St Jacques, offers Southern French cuisine with olive oil, shellfish, and fresh veggies. It serves grilled scallops, mushroom duxelles, and gruyere, with vegan options. Bistro Papillon, a low-key French café, has been around for over a decade. Felix, a stunning Merivale restaurant, offers iced-down fresh seafood, caviar, and full-rock lobster, creating a French-inspired atmosphere.

    Content Summary:

    • Their commitment to high-quality cuisine is legendary, and they are the only country to have patented a specific kiss.
    • While Sydney's French choices aren't as extensive as the city's Chinese or Italian options, a Francophile renaissance is in progress.
    • These restaurants offer a taste of Paris in Sydney, with crepes and steak frites.
    • At chef Dan Pepperell's Bistrot 916, you may order from an a la carte menu, including standard French fare without the cliched clichés.
    • As expected, the wine list features many recent releases from renowned winemaking regions like Burgundy, Champagne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and excellent domestic vintages.
    • Hubert In the city's heart proper, Hubert will transport you back in time to 19th-century France and Belle Époque Paris.
    • The duck parfait, gruyère soufflé, and quaint atmosphere are worth the trip alone.
    • One year in the brutal and often unforgiving hospitality industry is the equivalent of several decades in the rest of the globe.
    • It's more than justified to pop the cork on a few bottles of Champagne to toast the continued success of Bistro Moncur, a classic French restaurant in Woollahra that first welcomed diners in 1993.
    • You will want to come back repeatedly because of the tempting options available, such as the three-course set menu, the two-course prix fixe lunch menu, and the unique dishes and events featured regularly.
    • The French onion soup is excellent, as is the Wagyu tartare and the steak, which is cooked to perfection and topped with the restaurant's "famous secret sauce" and served with homemade French fries and a side salad.
    • Everything was, of course, complemented by excellent wine.
    • Chouchou are intimate cafe where you can enjoy French classics in a setting inspired by Paris by Parisian expat Arthur Gruselle.
    • Wines from France, New Zealand and Australia are available, as are classic French-inspired cocktails.
    • Try them with a homemade raclette, hand-cut beef tartare.
    • Famous chefs Nik Hill, formerly of the Old Fitzroy Hotel in Woolloomooloo, and Harry Levy, formerly of the Italian restaurant Don Peppino's, own and run Porcine.
    • This no-frills French restaurant uses the entire animal, from snout to curly tail.
    • A new coat of paint and a collection of gilded antique fixtures have converted the former Micky's location on Oxford Street into a picture-perfect Parisian café.
    • The restaurant receives a whole pig every two weeks.
    • It uses every part of it to make ham, terrines, and pork chops, but for something special, order the canard à la presse, a roasted duck served in a variety of ways, including the legs in a casserole of shallots, mushrooms, and Madeira, the neck as a sausage, and the breast perfectly portioned in a sauce thickened with duck blood.
    • It's no wonder that the friendly atmosphere of this local staple in Potts Point welcomes you the moment you walk through the door, given the establishment's philosophy of accepting everyone with open hands and open minds.
    • Franca Brasserie's declaration that "food is our common language" is music to the ears of anybody who appreciates creative modern fare.
    • Even if you don't speak French, the staff at Chez Crix can still make you feel welcome and serve you wonderful French meals with a heaping helping of joie de vivre.
    • The bar in the Strand Hotel is well-known.
    • The Strand, a French cafe on the hotel's ground floor, is decorated in a Belle Époque style.
    • The Brasserie is the heart of Etymon Projects' new drinking and dining complex, so it's no surprise that the overall experience seems so comfortable and magnificent despite being open for five days.
    • You may dine retro-style at the Queen Victoria Building's Manon Brasserie.
    • Thomas Boisselier, a French chef, is in charge of the restaurant's weekend late-night service, lunch, breakfast, and dinner takeout and delivery.
    • Lunch menu items include caviar, steak tartare cooked by hand with chicken parfait on warm brioche, and rhubarb soufflé or apricot feuille.
    • French bistro fare is the focus at this Chippendale restaurant.
    • The chef's grandpa is honoured with pâté en croûte and French onion soup.
    • Since it serves only the best, Redfern's Pitt Street cafe has been a neighbourhood favourite for eleven years.
    • St. Jacques' Southern French menu includes olive oil, shellfish, and fresh veggies instead of butter and cream like "timeless" French restaurants.
    • Bistro Jacques' vegan offerings dispel the myth that French food isn't vegetarian.
    • More than a decade ago, this low-key French café at the fashionable end of CBD perfected the art of keeping things simple while remaining extravagantly French.
    • This stunning Merivale offering appears plucked from a side street in Paris, with its dark curved-back chairs, white subway tiles, and tiny small table lights.
    • But the cuisine makes it.
    • If you want to feel like you're in France or any country without really leaving the country, Felix is your best bet.
    • The venue's major draw is an iced-down fresh seafood surrounded by wine racks and illuminated by chandeliers imported from France.
    • Merivale's interpretation of French luxury is complete with many kinds of caviar and full-rock lobster.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Prices may vary, but many of these restaurants offer set menus or lunch specials that can be more affordable without compromising on taste and quality.

     

    While some French restaurants have a formal dress code, many adopt a smart-casual approach, so dressing neatly is recommended.

     

    It's best to check the restaurant's policy on BYO wine, as some may allow it with a corkage fee, while others might have an extensive wine list to choose from.

     

    Yes, many of these restaurants are located in central areas of Sydney, making them easily reachable by public transport.

     

    Absolutely! French cuisine is renowned for its delectable desserts like crème brûlée, tarte tatin, and macarons, which you can find in most of these restaurants' menus.

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