Alex Marchesini has leased 111 Middle Street where he plans to open a 20-seat wine bar called Franciska (website, instagram). The space is under renovation and Marchesini hopes to launch the business in early April.
The wine program at Franciska will highlight small producers from Argentina. Marchesini plans to showcase the diversity of Argentinian wines beyond the Malbec grape varietal that the country is best known for. He shared that his goal is to offer an “innovative selection that surprises and delights [with] a fresh perspective on South American wines.” The wine list will also include some American wines as well as Old World wines from Italy, Spain, and France.
The menu is still under development. It will feature Argentine Bodegón-style cuisine which often includes options like Spanish tortilla made with potatoes and onions, gnocchi, a schnitzel like dish called milanesa, picadas, and desserts like flan and soft cheese with membrilllo.
Franciska is a wine bar dedicated to Argentine Bodegón cuisine, a culinary tradition deeply rooted in Spanish and Italian influences brought by immigrants to Buenos Aires at the turn of the century. In our intimate 20-seat space in Portland’s Old Port, we bring people together over thoughtfully crafted dishes made with New England-sourced ingredients and house-made specialties. Our mission is to create a warm, welcoming space where good food, good wine, and good company come together.
Marchesini has worked in the industry for many years, initially as a wine professional and then as a restauranteur and hospitality consultant. In Portland, Oregon, he co-founded Arden and Thelonius Wines. In California, he was a partner at Varro in Venice alongside Bill Chait and chef Leo Lanussol, and in Los Angeles he was a partner in the launch of The Hideout. In Maine he’s worked as a consultant at the Camden Harbour Inn, a Relais & Châteaux property in the Midcoast.
111 Middle Street was most recently occupied by Cabana which closed in late 2023. The building has been home to a number of notable establishments like Piccolo, Bresca and, in the 1980s, The Vinyard.
Reservation for Franciska are available on OpenTable.