Paris in Adelaide: Top 5 French Restaurants in Adelaide

If you’re looking for an affordable French restaurant, Delicatessen Kitchen & Bar is a great choice. Not to mention, it has familiar dishes because its menu is a fusion of Mod Oz (modern Australian) and traditional French food.

Besides a restaurant, it also has a cellar bar (for only 35 guests) with an extensive range of local and international wines.

The restaurant’s highlight, however, is still its hearty dishes. Noteworthy ones include the succulent beef cheeks braised in sherry, the tangy and velvety ratatouille, and the freshly cooked bouillabaisse (French seafood braise). 

Its Oz Mod dishes are well-made, especially the gin-cured Tasmanian salmon that has pleasant hints of fennel perfectly complementing the buttery texture of the salmon. 

Concluding the dining experience with a pinot noir is especially recommended.

As for the restaurant’s downsides, however, is that it has received complaints for slow staff service. Also, some past customers complained that some of the waiters were rude to them. 

Hey Jupiter Brasserie Francaise’s standout offerings are its rare French wines like Maison Overnoy, Domaine Gramenon, and Henri Bonneau. These are stored in quality Vintec wine storage to keep them fresh and crisp.

The restaurant was founded by Christophe Zauner and Jacqueline Lodge in 2017, expanding the size of the original cafe to accommodate more. Its decor is elegant and tasteful, with a tiled facade reminiscent of Paris Metro stations. 

The restaurant has a menu for breakfast to dinner. Standout dishes include the brioche French toast with seasonal fruit that has a nice crunch and the hearty potato sarladaises (fried potatoes) with ducks and herbs.

The wines take center stage, especially when ordered with the champagne-and-breakfast combination. The combination of the rich and nuanced taste of Louis Roederer with breakfast staples like savory eggs and buttery toast is delicious.  

The cafe has drawbacks, though, with one being that its dinner menu is only served from Thursday to Saturday. Moreover, some of its waiters can be more courteous.

Garçon Bleu is located at the 9th level of Sofitel Adelaide, providing diners with a great view of the city. It has an elegant and sophisticated look, ideal for fine dining

The restaurant is led by Gianni Delogu who makes French food with a modern take. 

A standout is the saumon fumé (smoked salmon) with a unique cure made from avocado, dill dressing, kohlrabi, and Yarra Valley roe for a light taste. It has minimal sugar as opposed to the traditional recipe.

Another standout is the duck breast glaze with honey from Adelaide Hills because of its soft, melt-in-your-mouth meat. The carrot and apricot puree gives it a subtle sweetness that balances the savory taste of the duck. 

The staff provides highly commendable service, demonstrating quickness and courtesy and offering excellent dish recommendations.

The restaurant, however, has pricey rates. Also, the staff sometimes takes a while to serve the food (can take up to 30 minutes or more).

Bistro Francais makes French cuisine accessible thanks to its reasonably priced French dishes and wines. 

Founders Fabien Striet and Nazzareno Falaschetti believe that French cuisine can still be eaten casually. They envisioned the place to be one where you can grab a meal even on a workday. 

The restaurant has a simple yet satisfying menu. Some standouts include the tenderly cooked beef bourguignon and the buttery Tasmanian grilled salmon with creamy peas risotto.

The shop’s cocktails also deserve commendation because of their creative use of French spirits. Crowd favorites include the refreshing Beach House Spiced Rum (infused with green chartreuse) and the delightfully sweet French 75 (gin and lemon).

That said, a downside of the shop is that its staff sometimes closes earlier than 9:30, rushing some guests. Also, their service is a bit slow.  

Maison Clement is inspired by the bistro bouillons of France AKA places where meals are sold affordably. Founder Clement Labaere envisioned it as a place where workers can go for a lunch meal.

The look of the place fits the part because of its simple white and black motif accentuated by details such as a vintage French World War 1 map and an open kitchen. The restaurant is small enough to feel intimate but not too stuffy to be uncomfortable. 

The shop’s food is authentically French and inspired by Labaere’s family recipes. A particularly excellent dish is the crisp toast with creamy goat’s cheese, potato, and greens, and it’s easy to order for takeout.

The shop’s desserts don’t disappoint, especially the crème brulée with vanilla for a lighter taste and the île flottante (floating island), a dessert that will please sweet tooths because of its strong caramel flavor. 

Its coffee is also consistently well-made and strong.

As for the downsides of the restaurant, one is that its menu is a bit limited. Also, its staff serves food a little slow.