James Meunier has an impressive CV. After moving from Mauritius to Australia in 2006, he began his hospitality education at the Hilton in Sydney on George Street, where he spent four years.
When he moved to Melbourne, James managed several venues for Shannon Bennett’s Vue de Monde Group. After enjoying a final stint in hotels as Director of Operations at the Werribee Mansion, James joined forces with former Vue Group colleague Vy Mai to open their business.
François, with locations in Fountain Gate, Eastland, and a flagship set to open in spring 2025 in Mambourin, is a series of coffee kiosks dedicated to perfecting the basics and catering to the high foot-traffic in some of Melbourne’s largest and busiest shopping centres.
“We’ve kept it simple and straightforward, with a strong focus on coffee,” he says.
Although simple is the goal, James says the kiosks have a no-expense-spared fit out and a refined finish to resonate with the high-end retailers against the café’s backdrop.
“During the planning and construction phase, we approach every detail with great consideration to ensure the setup not only enhances our speed of execution and delivery during peak service periods but also that the overall vibe lines up with the sophisticated environment we want to create,” says James.
In terms of coffee, François serves a house blend crafted in collaboration with The Bean Cartel’s Master Roaster Alan Chan.
“The profile we’re working with is a full-bodied, medium roast, with a beautiful nutty, hazelnut finish,” he says. “This is paired with 100 per cent Jersey milk sourced from the beautiful pastures of south-west Victoria, which not only leans into our sustainability ethos but also results in a velvety smooth and creamy end product.”
Alongside its signature coffee blends, François serves single origins that change weekly.
“We also offer cold brew and a variety of frappes, including honeycomb, chocolate, espresso, and mocha. On top of that, we have a great selection of local cold-pressed juices, milkshakes, smoothies, soft drinks, and iced beverages,” says James.
The café menu also features traditional Vietnamese coffee, which combines condensed milk and Vietnamese beans, served warm or over ice with toasted coconut flakes.
To pair with its extensive coffee menu, François serves a selection of classic sandwiches using 48-hour sourdough. The collection includes the New York-style Reuben, Cubano, and Tuna Melt alongside a variety authentic New York bagels.
“We offer more than 20 varieties of cakes and cheesecakes, plus macarons, including a popular sticky date pudding that’s served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It pairs perfectly with our milk-based coffees,” he says.
Yet, James says one of the café’s key selling points is its focus on people, particularly its team members.
“We invest heavily in their education and development within hospitality to ensure every guest leaves with a positive, memorable experience. Our approach to hospitality is rooted in the idea of offering guests the same care and warmth as if they were visiting our own homes – providing a clean space, the best seat at the table, a delicious meal, and a great bottle of wine. This is the foundation of our hospitality model,” he says.
Straying from François’ traditional coffee kiosk setup, the brand’s new flagship in Melbourne’s west will be a licensed venue, with a focus on brunch and cocktails.
“The new flagship will aim to further bridge the gap between the café culture between inner Melbourne to the West,” says James.
François Eastland
K204, Eastland Shopping Centre,
171-175 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, Victoria, 3134
Open Monday to Wednesday and Saturday 8am to 5pm, Thursday and Friday 8am to 8.30pm, and Sunday 9am to 5pm.
This article appears in the June 2025 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
