Nestled in the bustling hub of Northcote’s High Street beams the pink neon sign showing you the way toward all things trivia, DJs and woodfired pizza.
If you’ve ever frequented High Street in Northcote, odds are you’ve noticed the pulsing neon lights of Francesca’s Bar. Located smack-bang in the centre of Naarm’s favourite inner-north suburb, the venue has been a constant in the landscape of High Street for over ten years, with many more to come. With exposed brick walls and decked out with indoor plants, an on-street seating area and a beer garden that boasts a Miami Vice feel, Francesca’s is the kind of place perfect for any kind of night.
After work drinks and early-evening weekend tipples are sorted at Frans, with Happy Hour on every single day of the week from 5-7pm. The deals on offer for these happiest of hours of drinking include $9 pints, $8 basics, $6 house wines, as well as the bargain steal of $12 house cocktails. If you miss out on the happy hour though, fret not, because the selection of top shelf drinks and intricate cocktails will keep you happy until way late into the night. A Blueberry Tom Collins, anyone?
Francesca’s Bar in Northcote
- 222-224 High Street, Northcote
- Open every day from 5pm
- Happy Hour 5-7pm
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Whilst small in size, the bar beams big with heart. From quiet afternoon sips and a bit of indoor table tennis, come evening and Francesca’s transforms into dance floors and DJs. The venue is a great spot to check out on any weekend night in Northcote, with North House DJ sets curated by Tiff Cornish on Fridays, and Disco and House-themed nights every Saturday. Spinning the tunes on a Saturday is normally the likes of Oskar Long, Tom Prefect, Late Night Date, Deft-J, Paul Lazar, Claire Knight and Wunderkind, just to name a few. Additionally, Frans also has functions space available to book for any event of your choosing.
For all the smart alecs that prefer a night of brainiac boasting to a disco-filled dancefloor (por qué no los dos?), Frans also has you covered with Thursday night Trivia. Hosted by the fantastic folk at Quiz Meisters, trivia kicks off every week at 7pm. But make sure you book ahead – tables fill up fast.
What’s on at Francesca’s
- Thursdays – trivia hosted by Quiz Meisters
- Fridays – North House DJ sets curated by Tiff Cornish
- Saturdays – regular Disco and House-themed nights with DJs
Frans is also the perfect place for a chill neighbourhood beer or an early evening sesh, with an exciting menu provided in collaboration with the team at Pizza E Vino. The selection of food on offer is taking inspiration from the classic American diner menu, with the likes of burgers, chicken tenders, jalapeno bites and wedges – all to go perfectly with a $9 happy hour pint of ale. If you’re after something to scratch that pizza itch though, the famous Pizza E Vino has you sorted with their delicious woodfired pizza – a perfect pairing with a happy hour $12 house cocktail, if you ask me.
With a variety of events and gigs happening in this primely-located space – like last month’s Northcote Rise filling up both High St and Francesca’s with thirsty patrons – Frans is a bar with a calendar to keep an eye on. For the upcoming Easter long weekend, there’ll be a selection of curated DJs playing until late on Good Friday Eve – March 28 – with tunes to get you moving and grooving all the way through the Easter break.
Events at Francesca’s
- March 28, Easter long weekend, Good Friday Eve – DJs until late
Whilst summer might be over, there’s no better time to hit up your favourite venue than the glow of the early months of autumn. With a top shelf drink in hand and a woodfired pizza to give you the energy to keep on disco dancing until late, or some table tennis tournaments and Thursday night trivia, Francesca’s Bar has you well and truly sorted for all things that make up a good time.
To keep up to date with Francesca’s Bar, you can follow them on IG here. To book a table or enquire about their function spaces, you can contact them on their website here.
