Bar à vin Frank’s | An underground bar below brasserie Maison François in London launches this May
Bar à vin Frank's under brasserie Maison François
Bar à vin Frank's under brasserie Maison François
The team of Bar à vin Frank's
Frank’s, a new subterranean bar à vin from the team behind the critically acclaimed French brasserie Maison François, opens on Monday 17th May. Located in the heart of St James’s, 34 Duke Street, beneath the recently opened brasserie, the bar will serve a carefully chosen list of unconventional wines by the glass alongside a regularly changing menu designed with drinking in mind.
We love the concept of a Bar à Vin! Lots of wines by the glass with simple but great food, great concept for a small diner. There are too few of them! We love to see examples like Frank’s or La Cave Septime in the Netherlands as well.
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Bar à vin Frank’s
Founder François O’Neill has taken inspiration from his favourite spots in Paris and New York, from sampling the all-natural wines at La Cave Septime or standing at the bar with small plates at Pierre Touitou’s Deviant, to watching Brooklyn-ites in Hotel Delmano.
Descending the intertwined stairs, guests will be welcomed by the impressive central bar and laid-back industrial cool of Frank’s, dreamt up and designed by John Whelan at The Guild of Saint Luke. With low lighting, polished concrete floors, black leather banquettes and mirror-lined whitewashed brick walls giving a nod to the bar’s 70’s architectural inspiration.
The menu, alongside the décor, will also be a departure from the brasserie Maison François upstairs, while retaining its focus on simplicity and carefully sourced produce. An ever-changing menu using some of François’s and Exec Chef Matthew Ryle’s favourite ingredients will be served from 5pm onwards, seven days a week. The menu will include a selection of decadent sandwiches, including their French onion soup toastie or the crispy calves’ brains with sauce ravigote in a house-baked milk bun. There will also be some daily changing specials such as, l’escargots de Bourgogne and bone marrow on toast to a summer salad of tomatoes and anchovies. Joining these will be Maison François’s much-loved pâté en croute maison, oeuf en gelée or jambon noir de Bigorre sliced at the bar.
As the night draws in, the music is turned up and Frank’s comes into its own, serving glasses of the good stuff from a bold two hundred strong list of small production natural wines and quirky biodynamics alongside more established French producers. For those looking for a one-off, the team will be cracking open magnums from legendary winemakers and powerhouse domaines, providing a special accompaniment to a plate (or two). The bar will also serve a number of François’s favourite cocktails with simple, refined classics such as the Frank’s 75 or a white port Negroni.
Frank’s will open from midday through to the evenings seven days a week from Monday 17th May. The full food menu is available from 5pm – 12am daily. From midday – 5pm drinks and a reduced menu are available.
Website: Bar à Vin Frank's
