Eight of Melbourne’s best (proper) French bistros for Bastille Day and beyond

The bistro in Melbourne is ubiquitous. There are glitzy bistros with novel-length wine lists, there are pub bistros trading on pints and parmas. There are golf club bistros, New York-style bistros and contemporary bistros where a dry-aged duck for two can cost more than a week’s worth of groceries.

But in the lead-up to Bastille Day on July 14, it’s worth asking how many traditionally French (read: proper) bistros Melbourne can claim these days, and how do they compare to the originals in France? And what makes a bistro a bistro in 2023?

Hawksburn’s Bistro Thierry has all the essential ingredients: bentwood chairs and Gallic bric-a-brac; snails, steak frites and souffle. Notably, not much has changed since it opened in 2001. “That’s what makes it a bistro,” says owner Thierry Cornevin.

“A bistro is for locals. It’s a place for home comfort; you aren’t going to get any surprises. The food is consistent, and the expectation is that things will stay the same.”

Regulars are the bedrock of the business. “Such and such rings up, they call me personally on my mobile,” says Cornevin. “They tell me, I want table 22 next Wednesday for four people, I need two bottles of good wine.”

Diners dictate the business in many ways but Cornevin won’t budge on one bistro basic.

“Occasionally, we get asked for side plates for bread,” he says. “No bistro in France would have side plates. That’s why we have paper on the tables. If they insist, I draw two circles on the paper and say, There it is, there’s your plate. In a restaurant, yes, but in a bistro, never.”

Cornevin believes Melbourne’s French bistros stand up well. “You can find a better French bistro in Melbourne than you can in Paris,” he says. “We eat extremely well in Melbourne.”

Ben McLachlan has recently taken over Bistrot Plume in Geelong. He also thinks Australia’s version of a French bistro stacks up well.

“In France you can get away with super-rustic home-style, whereas here it wouldn’t necessarily cut it,” he says. “Especially at the moment when people are watching what they spend, you can’t give them something they feel they could do at home.”

Australian bistros can reflect their locality, rather than importing products from France. “We want to showcase Australian wine and spirit producers who do things in a French style,” he says. “We also have a diverse and abundant food belt here: it makes sense to use those suppliers.

“French cooking is still the pinnacle, but we’ll let local produce speak with those classic techniques.”

Some bistro dishes simply don’t translate to Melbourne. “In France, you see a lot of offal,” says Jacques Reymond, patriarch of the family which owns Bistro Gitan in South Yarra. “Calf liver, tripe and black pudding are very difficult to sell in Australia, so we rarely see it.”

He also believes Australian diners demand more than their French counterparts. “Here, people expect high quality and plenty of choice,” he says.

“In France, you’ll just have those very traditional dishes: omelette, confit duck, boeuf bourguignon, chicken chasseur and steak frites.” The DNA is the same though.

“Wherever they are, the clientele is mainly local, which makes it convivial, sympathetic,” says Reymond. “They are extremely important to a neighbourhood, creating a wonderful warm environment of communication and friendship. They have an important role in Australian society and in France as well.”

Eight of the best French bistros in Melbourne

Bistro Thierry 511 Malvern Road, Toorak

One of Melbourne’s oldest and most consistent bistros with French waitstaff and rusted-on regulars who know exactly where they want to sit and would foment rapid revolution if anything ever happened to the steak frites with bearnaise. Just don’t ask for a bread plate! They’ll put up balloons for Bastille Day, but otherwise it’s business as usual. bistrothierry.com

Ouest France 180 Main Street, Mornington

Two brothers from Brittany opened their cosy bistro in bayside Mornington in the winter of 2022. Along with a compact menu of classics (steak tartare, duck with cherry sauce, lamb with red wine jus), Cesar and Oscar Henry include Breton touches such as sable cookies served with chocolate mousse. There’s a good selection of French wines; BYO is also welcomed. ouestfrance.com.au

Chez Bagou 132 Bridport Street, Albert Park

An elegant, contemporary version of the French-Australian bistro, Normandy native Aurelien Bagou covers all the classics. Boeuf bourguignon is made with beef cheek slowly braised in red wine, confit duck leg comes with garlic potatoes and Crepes Suzette are flambeed with Grand-Marnier. chezbagou.com.au

Bistro Chez Nous 122 Union Road, Surrey Hills

The menu is as compact and cosy as the dining room here. Regulars return for house-made pork rillettes, the eye fillet with Cafe de Paris butter and a spin on bouillabaisse with local barramundi, tiger prawns and mussels. There’s a Frenchified high tea on Sunday afternoons. bistrocheznous.com.au

French Saloon 46 Hardware Lane, Melbourne

Just reopened after a long hiatus, it’s arguable whether this upstairs beauty is a bistro. “The great bistros of France are places you feel comfortable,” says co-owner and chef Ian Curley. “In Australia, it’s hard to categorise. French Saloon is a hybrid: we do good food with good Australian ingredients.” Other not-quite-bistros include France-Soir in South Yarra, which is more of a brasserie, and Philippe in the city, which is a restaurant that nevertheless nails bistro basics. frenchsaloon.com

Bistro Gitan 52 Toorak Road West, South Yarra

The building is Victorian and the menu borrows from Italy and Spain, but there is no doubting the Reymond family’s bistro has its heart firmly embedded in France. Chicken liver parfait is Australianised with pepperberries, but the eye fillet with mushroom sauce is an ode to tradition. bistrogitan.com.au

Bistro d’Orsay 184 Collins Street, Melbourrne

You may have arrived by tram and met your date under the Flinders Street Station clocks but as soon as you step into this cosy bistro you jeté to France. The menu leans to Provence with bouillabaisse and linguine with seafood, but this is also a lovely place to drop in for a classic dessert, such as the signature white-chocolate and pistachio parfait. bistrotdorsay.com.au

Bon Ap’ 193 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Channelling classic bistros with its “service continu” all-day dining, Bon Ap’ does everything from croque-monsieur toasties to Normandy-style mussels cooked with cider and served with frites. Wine is served by glass and carafe, and you are welcome to drop by for cheese or creme brulee. bonap.com.au

Melbourne’s best specials and events for Bastille Day

Bistrot Plume

The Geelong bistro’s special five-course menu includes onion tarte tatin, foie gras parfait and rooster cassoulet. $120, bistrotplume.com.au

Entrecote

Can-can dancers and a jazz band are among the attractions at the glam Prahran restaurant’s Bastille Day bash. Patrons are encouraged to dress up for festivities across four courses. From $249.90 per person. entrecote.com.au

Maker and Monger

The Prahran Market cheesemonger’s regular toastie service is interrupted for a day of aligot, the cheesy mash that’s as famous for its stretchiness as it is for its rich and indulgent flavour. $15, Friday July 14, 10.30am-1.30pm, makerandmonger.com.au

Smith Street Bistrot

There’s a $105 celebration menu at Collingwood’s love letter to France, including duck rillettes, prawn vol au vent and wagyu rostbiff. smithstbistrot.com.au

Claribeaux

On the Bellarine Peninsula, this homely bistro is serving a special $85 five-course menu including snails vol-au-vent, bouillabaisse with local mussels and pork cassoulet. claribeaux.com.au

Neighbourhood Wine

The Fitzroy North restaurant is opening special French wines to pour by the glass for Bastille Day. neighbourhoodwine.com

Omnia Bistro & Bar
At this South Yarra restaurant, Le Quatorze Juillet cheese trolley is given over to fromage francais. Reserve Burgundies and Champagnes will be available by the glass. omniabistro.com.au