Restaurateur Chris Lucas has revealed plans to open a Parisian bistro in Melbourne by the end of the year.
Batard will feature a contemporary menu, with a large focus on charcuterie, steak and batards, which will be baked in-house.
Lucas will be speaking at Hospitality magazine’s Restaurant Leaders Summit in Melbourne on July 30, where he will sit down with MC Alex Herbert for a one-on-one Q&A.
The new 80-seat bistro is a departure from Lucas’ predominately Asian-focused restaurants, including Chin Chin, Kisumé and Kong, but he says it’s been in the works for some time.
“I’ve spent a great deal of my past visiting all corners of France and like many, dreamed of having my own little bistro,” says Lucas.
“I’m somewhat of a nostalgic and want to bring some of that romance to Melbourne with my own touch at Batard. I mean, who doesn’t love steak frites with a glass of Burgundy?”
Lucas has applied to renovate the Victorian terrace on Bourke Street that will house the restaurant, with plans to add a rooftop terrace, bread oven and wine cellar in the basement.
If the plans are approved, Batard will likely open by December. Lucas plans to announce the team in the next couple of months.
