Just a few steps from the Bull Ring, 54 North Main Street is home to a place that has become an iconic spot in Wexford. A place where good wine and food mingle with music and laughter, and a diner can feel like they are sitting at their kitchen table rather than in one of the great gems of Wexford’s food culture.

Established in 1860 as a bakery by Michael Joseph and Johanna O Connor, whose motto “Bread is the staff of life” is now emblazoned across the front of the building, 54 North Main Street is now not merely a bakery, but a restaurant, winery and a venue for music.

Named after the fifth child of the two founders, Franks Place is a fitting tribute to someone who was a force of nature in the town of Wexford during the latter half of the 1800s before his untimely death in 1907 aged a mere thirty-two. Though his life was short, he was a model of the ethos of public service, serving as a volunteer fireman and a member of the town corporation.

It is this passion for service that drives this beautiful venue today. Serving hearty breakfasts up to eleven in the morning, before switching to simple, yet pleasurable meals that will have you feeling as if you are not simply a paying customer, but a guest sharing a meal at the table of the eponymous Frank.

Now under the careful stewardship of the seventh generation of this Wexford dynasty, what started as a wholesome bakery feeding the people of Wexford has become a place where you can sit and enjoy life to its fullest because while bread may be the staff of life, the pleasure of eating good food with friends in a warm, friendly atmosphere is the tonic that makes life worthwhile.

Some come in and enjoy the best of Ireland’s famed hospitality, the way Frank would want you to.

© Vincent S. Coster 2026