Though big-name restaurant openings dominated headlines in 2024, one of the year’s most successful restaurant debuts may have taken place just outside of Brisbane.

Last year, Little Provence opened its doors in Eatons Hill. The brainchild of Romain Maunier (co-owner of Spring Hill institution La Cache à Vín) quickly became a popular dining destination for locals living along the border between Brisbane and Moreton Bay, many of whom fell head over heels for Romain’s hearty renditions of famed Provençal-style signatures.

Though a bona fide success, the logistics of overseeing two restaurants (as well as La Cache à Vín’s thriving wine-import arm) meant Romain found himself being stretched thin.

“It was just too complicated – the wine storage was here, a restaurant was there and another one was on the other side of the city,” says Romain. “I could not spend enough time with my team or our regular clientele.”

So, earlier this year Romain made the call to relocate. The inner city was the logical choice for Little Provence, but very few sites seemed appropriate. That was until Matt Blackwell and Dan Arnold’s acclaimed fine diner Pneuma closed, and its heritage-laden George Street digs became available.

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“I came in and I spoke with Matt and Dan, and we came to the conclusion that maybe that would be a good opportunity to take over the lease,” Romain tells us. “One month after that – exactly day for day – we closed Little Provence in Eatons Hill and we reopened here.”

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Little Provence quietly opened in The City in August after a quick cosmetic refresh of the interior. Though most structural elements have been retained, Romain and his partner Kat have implemented a brighter palette of colours and materials that maximise the high-ceilinged, loft-style space’s tall windows, timber floorboards and exposed brick walls.

“Provence is not Burgundy and it’s not Bordeaux,” says Romain, who references La Cache à Vín’s earthy, stone-hewed vibe as Little Provence’s aesthetic opposite. “Provence is lighter. It’s Mediterranean – Greek, Spanish and Italian. We have a lot of influence from all of those countries.”

Though filling a space most recently known for housing an ambitious, concept-driven restaurant, Little Provence isn’t positioning itself as an eatery with similarly lofty intentions. Romain has endeavoured to transfer the down-home informality that underpinned Little Provence in Eatons Hill over to George Street.

“I don’t want Little Provence to be seen as fine dining – it’s just good products, well cooked. It takes time, and it takes skills. This is generous, homemade cooking that we are achieving here.”

Little Provence’s menu – built off family recipes passed down through Romain’s family – has also been transported to The City with only some slight adjustments.

The a la carte offering leads with appetite-whetting bites like white anchovies with lemon whipped cream and caramelised-onion tarts with comte, before expanding with starters such as snails a la Provençal, French onion soup, salmon souffle and beef tartare.

For mains, stand-out signatures like duck a l’orange, ‘Grandma’s Recipe’ ratatouille with fennel and pork sausage, and a rich bouillabaisse (which must be ordered with a day’s notice) are on deck alongside squid ‘a la Settoise’ (stuffed squid with pork mince) and daube a la Provençale (also known as beef cheek).

With more storage space to work with, Romain is relishing the opportunity to expand Little Provence’s region-spanning wine offering, adding products from smaller producers and encouraging guests to take a chance on something new and exciting.

“I think our job here – not just mine, but the entire team on the floor – is to promote those wines and say, ‘You know Burgundy and you know Bordeaux, what about you trying something else today?’”

A clutch of classic cocktails are available, with Romain recommending the Apricot Blossom (a blend of vodka, Amaretto, lemon juice, orange juice and apricot foam) and the French Martini (made with vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice) for first-timers.

Head to The Directory for more information on Little Provence.