Lucette
This polished all-day café and bistro in the Southern Highlands pairs classic French technique with local produce.
Overview
The Southern Highlands has scored a sleek all-day cafe-bistro hybrid, with an ex-Monopole head chef at the helm. Set in the heart of Bowral — just opposite the train station, day-trippers take note — Lucette leans on classic French technique while heroing Southern Highlands produce and an easygoing Australian cafe sensibility. It comes courtesy of husband-and-wife duo Julien and Romy Besnard, who also own and operate the town's enduringly popular Franquette Crêperie.
To lead the kitchen, they've tapped Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois, a former head chef at the now-shuttered, two-hatted Monopole. The fine-dining polish is evident across a considered menu that moves from loaded croissants and egg dishes in the morning to three-cheese soufflé and steak frites come evening.
Mattia Panunzio
Breakfast, served from 7.30am, spans viennoiserie and croissant buns filled with ingredients like raclette, smoked salmon or pumpkin mousseline, alongside larger dishes like French toast with crème brûlée custard and a silky eggs cocotte with ham, gruyère and caramelised onions.
From lunch onwards, things shift into bistro territory: French onion soup capped with comté custard, beef tartare with brown butter and cornichons, vol-au-vent with scallops and ratatouille, and a dedicated steak frites selection heroing premium wagyu cuts. Dinner leans further into bistro classics designed for lingering, like a hearty boeuf bourguignon and a 500-gram t-bone to share.
Mattia Panunzio
The drinks list follows suit, with French sparkling and champagne, mimosas and spritzes by day, before shifting to classic apéritifs and a considered selection of French wines. A standout is the velvety, Paris-style hot chocolate — designed to be shared between up to four — with the option to add strawberries or a croissant for dipping.
It all unfolds in a light-filled space that pairs timber and soft textures with a European-style terrace primed for coffee or an afternoon apéritif. It's French at heart, but designed for the neighbourhood — while also giving Sydneysiders an easy excuse to hop on the train south.
Mattia Panunzio
Top images: Mattia Panunzio.
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