Sì Ristorante prepares to open its first franchise in Vannes

Sì Ristorante is moving into franchising with its first project in Vannes, Brittany. Founded in Brest by brothers-in-law Franco Russo and Alexis Sebillet, the Italian restaurant brand has begun work on its third restaurant. Opening is expected in a few months, while the founders are targeting around 20 locations within four years.

Vannes: the first location outside Brest

Launched in summer 2021 on Place de la Liberté in central Brest, Sì Ristorante opened a second restaurant in 2025 in the city's Kergaradec retail area. The Vannes project therefore marks two firsts: a move beyond its home city and a restaurant run by a franchisee rather than the two founders.

The brand announced this first franchise on its website on 5 October 2026. A site visit followed on 14 October, with an update posted on LinkedIn the next day. At this stage, work is beginning with clearing the premises and demolition ahead of the fit-out.

There is no confirmed opening date yet. Sì Ristorante says it expects to open in a few months and plans to share the schedule on its website and social media channels. The exact address has not yet been disclosed either. Once open, Vannes will bring the number of restaurants trading under the brand to three.

Two formats with different investment requirements

For its franchise expansion, Sì Ristorante offers two formats depending on the location. The first is designed for town and city centres, with premises of 200–300 m² and a stated capacity of 50–80 seats.

Investment in this model starts at €250,000, depending on the premises, with a minimum personal capital contribution of €50,000. These figures are the entry thresholds quoted by the brand, not the announced budget for the Vannes project.

The retail-area format is larger, at 350–500 m² with 120–160 seats. The quoted investment starts at €600,000, with a minimum personal capital contribution of €150,000.

Both formats carry an initial franchise fee of €25,000. The agreement provides for a royalty of 5% of turnover, plus a further 1% contribution towards digital activities and marketing. The stated contract term is seven years.

The founders also report an average spend of €27 per customer and an operating profit margin of 18–21% of turnover, based on their own figures. These indicators should not be confused with the future results of a franchised restaurant: they do not establish the performance that the Vannes project or subsequent locations will achieve.

An application process built around the pilot restaurants

The process outlined for prospective franchisees begins with a meeting with Franco Russo and Alexis Sebillet, followed by visits to the pilot restaurants. It also includes receipt of the French pre-contractual disclosure document, known as the DIP, and approval of the premises.

Training takes place at one of the Brest restaurants. It covers kitchen operations, pizza preparation, front-of-house service and the bar, encompassing the concept's main operational areas. The two existing restaurants therefore give future operators somewhere to explore the business and learn how it works.

This time in Brest is a tangible part of the support programme announced by the brand. For prospective franchisees, the visits offer an opportunity to assess the differences between the city-centre restaurant and the retail-area site before exploring their own choice of format in more detail.

Quimper and Lorient on the expansion roadmap

Sì Ristorante lists Quimper and Lorient among its next franchise openings on its franchise recruitment page. Its brochure identifies Vannes and Quimper as projects planned for 2026. For Vannes, however, the latest construction update still points to an opening in a few months, with no firm date.

The brand's geographical ambitions extend beyond Brittany. Target cities include Rennes, Nantes, Angers, Le Mans, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Caen, Rouen and Lille. These are locations where it is seeking opportunities, rather than confirmed openings. The brand also says it will attend the Commerce Innov trade show in Bordeaux on 16 November 2026 to meet prospective franchisees.

Key points for prospective franchisees: compare the two formats, obtain a clear budget tailored to the proposed premises and scrutinise the financial assumptions during pre-contractual discussions. At this stage, the first Vannes franchise remains in preparation.