St-Germain

From the outside, St-Germain looks quintessentially French. Its black and white striped awnings and wicker chairs call to mind the lively Paris wine bars that spill onto the street. But despite appearances, it’s not strictly bourguignon and bouillabaisse here. For their first combined venture, owners and partners Aurelien Bagou (owner Chez Bagou) and Belinda Alexander wanted to create a European wine bar, albeit with nods to the classic French bistro throughout.

The menu features a mix of classic and not so traditional dishes. Among bistro mainstays like steak tartare, foie gras and escargots doused in garlic butter, you might find herb-crusted lamb shoulder or sweet potato ravioli swimming in creamy goat’s cheese. The menu changes with the seasons, revolving around meat from south-east Gippsland. Desserts are kept classic with crème brulée, panna cotta and chocolate fondant. The drinks include cocktails like a French Negroni with pepper-and-grapefruit gin, and mostly French wines.

Bagou and Alexander designed the small dining room, which is all polished timber floorboards, beige curtains and gold accents. Bentwood stools sit at a polished timber bar, where you can perch for a drink or an entire meal. On a sunny day, the outdoor terrace has the hottest seats in the house. It doesn’t feel like you’re sitting in inner-Melbourne, but in the 6th arrondissement.