Josephine Bouchon

French·
££££
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Gold Award
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SquareMeal Review of Josephine Bouchon

Gold Award

Claude Bosi’s charming bouchon - a French restaurant that serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine – is the Michelin-starred chefs most casual restaurant to date. In contrast to his portfolio of fine dining restaurants (Brooklands, Bibendum yada yada), Josephine is a rustic French bistro on Fulham Road, named after his grandmother and inspired by the food she used to cook for him.

The cosy dining room is filled with dinky bistro tables dressed in starched white tablecloths, while wonderfully kitsch finishing touches include retro candelabra lighting and burgundy leather banquets. Expect to rub elbows with fellow diners. Tables are positioned barely a few centimeters apart so that once you’re seated, it’s much simpler to stay put, or risk clambering out and knocking over your neighbour’s wine glass in the process – up to you.

Claude doesn’t shy away from serving dishes that are so rarely seen on London menus - veal sweetbreads with morel mushroom sauce and soft-boiled egg in jelly – but if anyone can prove that scary-sounding dishes can also be supremely delicious, it’s Claude. Before all of that, our waiter plonks a moreish bowl of pork scratchings, crusty baguette and heavily salted butter on our table, which we proceed to nibble on alongside a starter of thinly-sliced terrine, vinegary cornichons and French mustard. So far, so brilliant. Beef Bourguignon, cooked to melting, fatty perfection, is the special of the day, and incredible value at just £15.50 (this comes with a heaped bowl of new potatoes, by the way).

Some dishes on the a la carte will set you back a pretty penny, but there are plenty of ways round this, such as the ‘menu de canut’ which starts at £24.50 for two courses. We finished with a cloud-like ‘floating island’ of meringue served in a glossy moat of vanilla-specked custard, dusted with rose praline.

There are countless more brilliant things to say about this nostalgic ode to Bosi’s hometown, a particular favourite being the fact it serves wine ‘by the metre’, so you only pay for what you drink. It is, without a doubt, one of London’s finest French restaurants. Go, fall in love. We certainly have.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £50 - £79
Cuisines
French
Ambience
Cosy, Lively, Romantic, Traditional
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Special Features
Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Birthdays, Celebrations, Dates, Romantic, Special occasions

About

Josephine is a French restaurant in Chelsea run by Claude and Lucy Bosi, focusing on traditional dishes from Claude’s hometown of Lyon. Perched on the corner of Fulham Road and Callow Street, Josephine has much in common with Bosi’s 2023 opening Socca - a French bistro collaboration with Samyukta Nair in Mayfair.

Josephine is a celebration of Bosi’s upbringing in Lyon, his parents' bistro there, and nostalgia for the region. Naturally, guests can expect a traditional Lyonnaise menu, serving up food and dishes influenced by his formative years in a province considered by many to be the capital of French cuisine.

At the heart of Bosi’s success is his approach to food: source the finest produce and prepare it to the best of your ability. His name has been synonymous with fine dining in London for many years, but Josephine is a much more relaxed restaurant, styled in a very traditional way, from the heavy entrance curtain right down to the white tablecloths, candles and bistro-style low curtains on the windows.

Dishes like French onion soup, frogs legs in garlic butter, beef fillet with peppercorn sauce, and sole with brown butter all arrive on classic white porcelain dishes. There are also large sharing dishes for the table, like rabbit with mustard and tarragon sauce, and a rotisserie chicken with salad and potatoes. Josephine also offers a good value plat du jours every week day, with dishes including steak hache with mashed potatoes, blanquette de veux with pilaf rice, and mussels in a creamy sauce with French fries.

On the drinks front, you can expect a thoughtfully-curated French wine list as well as plenty of chartreuse.


FAQs

What type of French food does the restaurant serve?

The menu is inspired by the Lyon region.

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Do I need to book?

Booking is advised - you can book via the phone or the website.

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Josephine Bouchon is featured in

Location

315 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London, SW10 9QH
Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon 12:00-14:30
Tue 12:00-14:30
Wed 12:00-14:30
Thu 12:00-14:30
Fri 12:00-14:30
Sat 12:00-15:00
Sun 12:00-15:00
Dinner
Mon 18:00-21:00
Tue 18:00-21:00
Wed 18:00-21:00
Thu 18:00-21:00
Fri 18:00-21:30
Sat 18:00-21:30
Sun 18:00-21:00

Reviews

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2 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

renee H

24 March 2024  
Food & Drink 3.5
Service 1.5
Atmosphere 3.5
Value 2.5
Disappointing Experience at Josephine’s

 

Anticipation filled us as we looked forward to dining at Josephine’s, the latest venture by renowned chef Claude Bosi. Having enjoyed Bosi’s creations at Bibendum and Brooksland, we expected a memorable evening. However, our excitement turned to disappointment due to the rude demeanor of the General Manager.

Despite the elegant decor and promising menu, the GM’s behavior overshadowed our experience. While the food, particularly the pike fish starter, cheese soufflé, and onion soup, showcased culinary expertise, the pig trotters croquette fell short.

What soured our evening was the lack of communication regarding our time limit at the table. We were abruptly informed of this restriction just before 7 pm, without the opportunity to finish our wines or consider dessert. While the GM didn’t resist our request to move to the bar area to finish our wine, it was only offered after we inquired, leaving us feeling unwelcome.

The dismissive attitude of the GM was unexpected and disappointing, tarnishing an otherwise promising dining experience. While Josephine’s may offer delicious cuisine and an inviting ambiance, the lack of professionalism from management detracts from its appeal.

In conclusion, until issues of communication and courtesy are addressed, I would advise caution when considering dining at Josephine’s. Opting for establishments where both culinary excellence and customer service are valued may provide a more satisfying experience.

Anon

06 March 2024  
Food & Drink 4
Service 1
Atmosphere 3
Value 3
Food good, staff nice, management shambolic

First of all, let me say that the food was good and the staff were really nice and I hope this place does well. And I know it has only recently opened, but the overall experience was pretty poor.  We had a reservation for 8.00pm. We stood there for 20 mins before we were even acknowledged (nowhere to sit because one of the staff was using up the only seats inside the door, sat there on her laptop). Eventually seated at 8.25. Have since been told that the reason was they'd had a lot of walk ups. Like that's meant to make me feel better about it...

Once seated, orders were taken quickly and starters delivered within moments - so fast in fact that we'd not yet been offered bread or anything to drink. All too rushed. 

Food was delicious - although the French Fries were a bit too close to McCains' finest. But the decent food and friendly staff wasn't enough to make it a memorable evening. 

The bill for two with a shared desert and one bottle of wine was £220. That's fine, but at that level you'd expect to feel a sense of occasion. We didn't - the tables for two are incedibly close together and we didn't particularly enjoy the experience. 

My advice for the management? Don't keep bookings waiting, ignored, for almost half an hour, don't prioritise walk-ups, don't cram the tables so close together, and if the kitchen didn't close at 9.30 you could stagger your bookings and give a much better experience. In short, don't be greedy. 

If they sort these things out, and I'm sure they will, it'll be a great local Bistro. I wish them luck, but I won't be going back until they've sorted these teething troubles....

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