Triple threat: This new Kent Town venue is a cellar door, winery and cafe rolled into one

For most people, running two wine labels while starting a family would be enough to keep them busy.

But for Daniel Franklin, that's just the beginning.

In addition to founding Franklie Wines, he is a part owner of  Mosquito Hill, where he helps with “everything from winemaking to marketing, sales and distribution”.

“But I always dreamed of opening my own place,” says the hospitality lifer.

“It's hard to go straight into a big venue first up, so I thought an intimate venue made more sense.”

A city cellar door for the two wineries seemed like the natural place to begin.

Those plans quickly evolved after he secured a space at 68 King William St, Kent Town.

By the time Henry's by Franklie opened in February, it had transformed into “a mix between a cafe, a delicatessen and a wine bar”.

During the day, Daniel and his team sling coffees and pastries in the morning before switching to focaccias and salads at lunchtime.

“Then on Thursday and Friday nights, we're open a bit later and it turns into a wine bar with a more relaxed vibe where you can sit down with a glass and some baked brie, Italian meatballs or a charcuterie board.”

And true to the original vision, you can taste all the current vintages from both wine labels and even buy some bottles to take away.

Explaining the difference between the two labels, Daniel says that Mosquito Hill uses estate-grown fruit from the Southern Fleurieu and specialises in “traditional Champagne and Burgundy-style wines, while Franklie is a bit more fun and lets me play with grapes from different regions”.

The classic but casual venue fit out splits the difference between the two styles, with thoughtful touches like Japanese tiles across the front of the counter and Venetian plaster that adds texture to the walls.

North-facing windows bring in plenty of natural light during the day, and the blue and white colour scheme hints at the Mediterranean inspiration for the multi-purpose venue.

“My wife and I often find ourselves thinking about the time we've spent travelling in Tuscany, places like Bologna and San Gimignano,” Daniel says.

“The culture built around food and wine there is second to none, but another thing that really stands out is the people. They're always so welcoming and serve us with a smile and we wanted to replicate that.”

Visit today

W: https://henrysbyfranklie.com.au/
E: hello@henrysbyfranklie.com.au
A: 68 King William Street, Kent Town 
T: 0421 964 387
I: @henrys_byfranklie