In late 2021, the ground floor of the six-storey Bank of New South Wales Building on Queen Street Mall became home to Banc Brasserie & Wine Bar, a glamorous 150-seat eatery and drink spot masterminded by two seasoned publicans. This European-inspired destination offers room for 150 guests spread across brasserie, bistro and wine-bar spaces, with Hogg & Lamb enlisted to curate an aesthetic that blends modern touches with the structure’s high-ceilinged heritage surrounds. Banc Brasserie & Wine Bar serves a menu of French and Italian-inspired eats with some native Australian accents for lunch and dinner, with long-term plans also including a coffee and pastry offering (and footpath dining) in the morning. Banc’s launch menu kicks off with entrees including house-cured hay-smoked salmon served with fresh fruits and pickles, petite tarts of heirloom vegetables, goat’s curd and sorrel, and Moreton Bay bug tagliatelle with chilli and marjoram. Large-format plates feature the likes of lamb racks served with eggplant, onion, kombu and cavelo nero, braised lion’s mane mushroom served with Jerusalem artichoke and a vegan demi glaze, and the classic steak frites, which will boast a rotating cut of beef from week to week. The menu is set to evolve and grow, with share plates and feasting menu additions to the lunch and dinner menu expected soon. Banc’s wine bar is amply stocked with a worldly assortment of vino (including high-end Coravin drops) as well as a batch of cocktails.