Franquette

Franquette is a Bretagne-style creperie, cafe, and bar that's open all day and filled with oodles of French countryside charm. 

Taking over the former Elephant Boy cafe space on Bong Bong Street in Bowral, Franquette's name comes from the French expression la bonne franquette, a phrase that loosely translates to a simple, unfussy, and friendly meal. 

The hero of the menu at Franquette is the galette. This savoury crêpe is a Bretagne staple, made paper thin from buckwheat flour that's naturally gluten-free.

Try the classic complète style filled with ham and cheese and topped with a fried egg, or go for something slightly more adventurous like the Braidwood Classic with added streaky bacon, potato, and Braidwood black garlic aioli. 

Franquette's extensive menu also ticks off sweet crêpes dusted in sugar, butter, and lemon, or smothered in Nutella and strawberries. Level up with loaded dessert creations like the banoffee pie crêpe or the salted caramel Snickers crêpe served with peanut butter fudge ice cream. 

In the morning, sip Little Marionette coffee or a Belgium hot chocolate. Later in the day, peruse the list of French wines and beer, classic cocktails, and signatures like the yuzu mule or the zesty Franquette martini. 

Southern Highlands produce is filtered throughout the menu, including Mae Hill Farm, Mussett Holdings Regenerative Farm, and The Honey Thief.

Behind Franquette are Julien Besnard and wife Romy, who were previously managing Mona Farm in Braidwood. 

“We’ve taken the concept of 'la bonne franquette’ and applied it to everything we do," explains Besnard. "We want the experience to be memorable, fun, and accessible to everyone.”

"We’ve priced main courses under $30; we don’t close between breakfast, lunch, and dinner; if you want a takeaway coffee at 5pm, it’s no problem. We believe that true hospitality can be fun and affordable."

Image credit: Franquette | Ashley St George 

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