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A new restaurant called French Bubbles opened in Yerevan in late 2024, offering its customers a full menu and the largest selection of champagne and sparkling wines in the city.
The co-founders of the restaurant, Movses Makaryan and Artyom Nazarov, say that French Bubbles is a place to have breakfasts, accompanied with a glass of sparkling wine, unforgettable lunches and dinners in a gorgeous setting with friends and family: “A restaurant is about celebration, regardless of date or time of day.”
In an interview with GastroVinо, Movses and Artyom talked about the project, shared the process of creating a proper atmosphere and their views on life, which served as a foundation for French Bubbles.
“We wanted to share cheerfulness with the city”
Movses Makaryan
Artyom and I are entrepreneurs. We met at work about two years ago and hit it off right away and became very good friends. Sometimes you meet someone and realize that you have very similar “backgrounds”, family values and life vision. We are Armenians, although we have not lived here for a long time. I was born in the beautiful city of Vanadzor, and at the age of 14, I went to study in Singapore, then lived in the UAE, France, Australia and the USA.
Movses Makaryan | Image by: Mediamax
I have always loved Armenia very much, and both of us share the same passion for our country, so it was important for us to implement a joint project here.
We brainstormed different ideas and about a year ago we decided that we wanted to open a restaurant. Finding a location for the restaurant was a challenge, but we managed to find the perfect space at Moskovyan 33. The previous owners intended to open a flower shop here with a bar where you could have a glass of champagne. We completely changed the concept but went along with the champagne idea, since this was exactly what we had in mind. We always try to joke, even in difficult times. We wanted to share this cheerfulness with the city.
Image by: Mediamax
“Champagne is always about lightness and happiness”
Artyom Nazarov
Today, French Bubbles is first of all a restaurant that offers a full menu and a large selection of drinks, especially sparkling wines. And it feels like a place for celebrations, because champagne is always about lightness and happiness. You don’t drink champagne when you are grieving.
Artyom Nazarov | Image by: Mediamax
There are several areas in the restaurant where we are planning to add a summer veranda when it gets warmer. In the main hall you can sit both at a table and at the bar. Our wine cellar is very cozy and is often booked for events.
French Bubbles is open from 9am, and until 1pm it offers a variety of breakfasts - from cheesecakes and salmon croissants to Armenian breakfast. Until 11am we treat guests to a glass of sparkling wine.
Image by: French Bubbles
As the name suggests, our concept is based on champagne and sparkling wines from all over the world. In addition to European ones, we also represent Armenian producers, who have quality products. According to the latest estimates, Bubbles offers 46 types of sparkling wines, as well as wine, whiskey, cognac, rum, and tequila.
Image by: Mediamax
Many guests are surprised that we have a full menu with European cuisine, since champagne is often associated with light snacks. We have about 60 items on our menu and each one is ready to impress you.
“We consciously moved away from the idea of a monochromatic “concrete box””
Movses Makaryan
Before opening French Bubbles, we spent a lot of time in other restaurants around the city and came to the conclusion that the atmosphere is very important in this industry. The food in a restaurant must be delicious, the service must be good, the interior design must be beautiful, but if you don’t add your soul to this, don’t create the right ambience, it will not become your favorite place.
Image by: French Bubbles
Often, businessmen open a restaurant, hire contractors, builders and simply say – “build it!”.
Movses Makaryan | Image by: Mediamax
We decided that this approach was not enough to create the atmosphere and the soul of the restaurant. To do this, we had to get into the process ourselves, think through every detail. For example, we had to repaint the walls for a whole month until we managed to get the exact shade that was originally intended.
Image by: French Bubbles
Now it is nice to hear from guests that they enjoy not only the food and the drinks, but also the atmosphere.
Artyom Nazarov
In recent years, there has been a trend in food establishments for self-leveling floors and concrete walls. We really got tired of it when visiting other restaurants. And perhaps what is commonly called minimalism is often an attempt to hide the lack of taste and imagination. We consciously moved away from the idea of a monochromatic “concrete box” and decided on a warmer, more cheerful interior.
“Honesty is important in business”
Artyom Nazarov
There are two paths you can take - lead the public or follow the public.
We prefer to lead the public, offer something new, but at the same time maintain a balance and listen to the opinions of our customers.
Movses Makaryan
Honesty is important for us, both in life and in business. There are some things in the Armenian restaurant industry we don’t necessarily agree with, for example, the 10 percent service charge. Most often, restaurants take the service charge under the pretext that the money goes to waiters or it is a payment for service - chairs, tablecloths, cutlery. Well, this is a restaurant, and of course I have to sit on a chair and use cutlery.
Image by: French Bubbles
We do not have a service charge unless we serve groups of more than five people.
A dish “you will dream about”
Artyom Nazarov
It is very difficult to single out just one of our dishes. You have to try them all. As for dessert, Crème Brûlée is the best. We have a regular customer who starts every morning at Bubbles with a cup of coffee and Crème Brûlée.
Image by: French Bubbles
One of my favorite dishes is filet mignon with foie gras. We use Armenian beef and generally try to use Armenian products whenever possible.
Image by: French Bubbles
Each dish on our menu can become the customers’ favorite, but in fact, our best seller is Beef Bourguignon or beef Burgundy: a beef cheek cooked in red wine and served with truffle mashed potatoes. Having tried this dish once, you will dream about it for a days (smiling - ed.). Our chef has an excellent sense of taste and works well with flavors.
Movses Makaryan
Signature cocktails are made from sparkling wines. If I had to single out one, for me personally it would be Parfum de Provence. Its ideology is similar to the Bubbles project – it has the same color, with a berry flavor and floral aroma, made from fruit liqueurs and syrups that we prepare ourselves.
Parfume de Provance Cocktail | Image by: French Bubbles
“Choose a holiday”
Artyom Nazarov
French Bubbles restaurant is about a celebration, but it is not a specific date or time of year. It is a feeling of warmth and joy, all those moments when we feel happy.
Artyom Nazarov | Image by: Mediamax
Our philosophy is that being happy is a conscious choice of a person.
Through French Bubbles we are trying to convey exactly this attitude to life - light, sparkling and festive. Bad times, like good ones, always pass. So today, choose a holiday.
Yana Shakhramanyan
Photo: Agape Grigoryan
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