Frenchie Bar À Vin, Rue du Nil, Paris

It was Jamie Oliver who gave Gregory Marchand the nickname, Frenchie in the kitchens of his Fifteen restaurant in London. The nickname has stuck, and when Marchand opened his first restaurant in April 2009 in the second arrondissement of Paris, it was obvious choice what the name should be.

At first there was one restaurant on rue de Nil, Greg worked alone in the kitchens, with one person helping guests in the dining room. Soon, though, the team expanded, as did the wine menu, with a wonderful palette of international labels and signature wines. The ambiance was relaxed and the staff was professional and down-to-earth.
After two years, an additional wine bar opened across the street. Frenchie the restaurant has a lengthy wait list, French Bar À Vin have no reservations, and the plates are smaller versions the restaurant offerings in a relaxed cave environment.

Groups and couples flock to this place, although you’re seated relatively quickly, if you do have to wait, it’ll be well worth it. Share and to savour. The Neals Yard cheeseboard and a wide selection of wines by the glass will leave you completely satisfied. We bagged the table next to the tiny kitchen and it was pure theatre watching each plate being constructed. In fact, we stopped ordering from the menu and just kept wanting what ever the chef was preparing in front of us.

 Frenchie Bar À Vin,5-6 rue de Nil, 75002

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