No need to long for Europe this winter, because a slice of it is coming to Woodville Road. Set in what was once a bank, ‘Banca’ will be a cafe, bar and function space infused with Euro hospitality and timeless elegance.
For owner Francesca Miljanovic, hospitality runs in the blood. Having grown up in a family of restaurateurs – her father once owned Parlamento on North Terrace – opening her own space was always a dream.
“I have a passion for hospitality. I love serving people, entertaining, and providing them with a good experience. It’s something I always knew I wanted to do, in my own way,” she says.
Banca’s interiors are a love letter to timeless elegance. Created in collaboration with close friend and Messa Interiors founder Christy, there are booths wrapped in chocolate velvet, travertine details, and soft, earthy tones that stretch across the building.
“I wanted the fit out to be somewhere you could sit at for hours and not get tired of looking at,” she explains.
“[Christy] helped my vision come to life in terms of the colour scheme and all the different textures and patterns. Apart from it being a cafe and bar space, it’s also a space that’ll be available for events, and I wanted it to be a beautiful, neutral canvas that will complement any event.”
Seating up to 55 people across booths, benches, bar stools, and a private dining room, it’s a versatile space with a “community, family feel.”
In a nod to its past life and its name – ‘Banca’ translates to bank in Italian – the venue still showcases the original marble steps, the old vault room, and a restored night safe. For Francesca, preserving its heritage helps connect the community.
“The minute we stepped into the space, we were greeted with the original marble steps, and I just fell in love with it.”
“We’ve stuck to the original brickwork and the steps. There’s something about old buildings… people can walk by and remember what once was,” she says.
The food ties in with the venue’s effortless timelessness. It’s simple, generous, designed to be shared, and a prime example of that gold ol’ fashioned Mediterranean hospitality.
“It is Italian themed and has nods to the Mediterranean in general. My husband is of Serbian background, and you’ll see that through some of the food,” reveals Francesca.
“The whole point of Banca is to come in and have a really good meal. It’s simple produce done well.”
There will be homemade pastries and pasta, and takeaway panini and focaccia available for those passing through. A rotating selection of house-made preserves, jams, and pickled vegetables using seasonal produce – many from family recipes handed down through generations – will also be available to purchase.
“I’d love to work with the local community – people with fruit trees, or an abundance of something in their garden. That’s what I grew up with, and I want to share that here,” she shared.
For drinks, Banca will offer a mix of local and Italian wines, curated cocktails, and Adelaide’s Willow Bend Coffee, chosen for both quality and shared values.
“Ben from Willow Bend has been incredible. It’s some of the best coffee you’ll find, and we share that same Italian, family-first mentality,” Francesca explains.
Set just across from the Woodville Town Hall, Banca is expected to cater to both daytime diners and the pre/post-show crowd, with evening trade running Thursday to Saturday.
“It’s been a process, but like all good things, it takes time,” says Francesca. “And it’ll be worth it.”
Doors due to swing open mid-July.
WHAT: Banca
WHERE: Woodville Road
WHEN: Expected mid-July
For the Instagram, click here.
More News
