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Beaujolais Nouveau Day is one of the biggest days in a wine drinker’s calendar, but it’s also a great excuse for a party. This year, Bojo Novo Day takes place this Thursday November 21 – and, as always, London will be marking the occasion.
Now, a fair few of you may be thinking: what on Earth is ‘beaujolais nouveau’? And why does it have its own day? Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine produced in France’s Beaujolais region. It’s a vin de primeur, which means it’s a wine sold in the same year it’s harvested – and it’s famously released at 12.01am on the third Thursday of November. In France the day is famous for its festivals, celebrations and parties.
But France doesn’t hog all the fun when it comes to Bojo Novo. The day is marked all around the world, including London. Whether you’re a Frenchie abroad or simply fancy a bit of wine-based fun, here are the best places to mark Beaujolais Nouveau Day 2024 in the capital.
Le Beaujolais
Where else? The clue’s in the name at Le Beaujolais, which currently sits at third in Time Out’s list of the best wine bars in London. On Thursday Bojo Novo Day will be marked by Le Beaujolais in a very classic, French sort of fashion – which is no less than we’d expect from a very classic, very French sort of place.
25 Litchfield St, WC2H 9NJ. Find out more.
Marceline
Looking for a bit more than a few glasses of fresh gamay? Canary Wharf joint Marceline has both vino and a solid deal to celebrate Bojo Novo Day, offering a steak French dip sandwich and a first glass of Beaujolais Nouveau for just £10 per person. Marceline’s party will be drop-ins only and lasts until it’s all gone.
10 Water St, E14 5GX, 12pm. More here.
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels
Forget Beaujolais Nouveau Day, at La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels it’ll be a Beaujolais Nouveau weekend. The Neal’s Yard bar will host four days of Bojo Novo celebrations from Thursday to Sunday, with several proper Beaujolais Nouveau wines on offer – served from magnum and starting from just £10.
8-10 Neal’s Yard, WC2H 9DP, midday to midnight. More here.
The Plimsoll
Hyper-trendy Finsbury Park pub The Plimsoll will offer its own take on Beaujolais Nouveau Day with a menu of regional French classics with added ‘Plimsoll touch’, including trout tartare with fried bread, steak haché and, of course, lots of cheese. The wine’ll come from Domain Lapalu, Selene and Château Cambon. We’d be lying if we said we knew any of those vineyards, but we have no doubt their plonk is delicious.
52 St Thomas's Rd, N4 2QQ. More here.
Sune
Pop down to Broadway Market’s Sune during lunch or dinner on November 21 and you’ll be able to sample a special menu that nods to Beaujolais’ proximity to Lyon, created by head chef Michael Robins and accompanied by selections of this year’s wine crop. The real fun, though, starts at 6pm when the restaurant hosts a barrel bottling street party with some nearby neighbours, where they’ll hand bottle 288 bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau. As they do so, you can tuck into oysters from Fin and Flounder or Lyonnaise hot dogs from Hill & Szrok.
129A Pritchard's Rd, E2 9AP. More here.
Noble Rot
Noble Rot is known for throwing an uproarious party on Bojo Novo Day, but this year’s celebration should be a particularly memorable affair, with a line-up of wines selected by the late Justin Chearno, co-founder of infamous Brooklyn wine bar The Four Horsemen (alongside LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy). Rotters’ Fête de Beaujolais is a fitting tribute to Chearno, a force in the natural wine movement who conducted one of his final interviews for the latest edition of Noble Rot’s magazine shortly before his passing in August. Head down to the Lamb’s Conduit branch from 4pm to take part in a free tasting outside the bar, or book in to sample a special four-course menu prepared by the Four Horsemen’s head chef The Nick Curtola from 6pm.
51 Lamb's Conduit St, WC1N 3NB. More here.
Sesta
Don’t fancy knocking back a load of plonk on a school night? Try eating your Beaujolais instead. Wine bar and restaurant Sesta in Hackney is rustling up a special burger to celebrate the day – the Boeuf Bourguignon cheeseburger. Available for one day only, it’s made of aged beef mince with smoked ox cheek and bacon bourguignon, all slow-cooked in Beaujolais Nouveau. It’s then topped with Sesta’s in-house burger cheese – a mix of Comte, raclette and camembert – plus pickled shallot chutney and served up on a beef fat brioche bun. Yes please!
52 Wilton Way, E8 1BG. More here.
July
If you’re busy on Thursday but would still love to mark Beaujolais Day, July’s belated celebration is a great option. Head to the Alsace-inspired Fitzrovia restaurant on Monday November 25 for a two-and-a-half-hour sesh filled to the brim with as much of the fruity stuff as you can drink, alongside snacks made to pair with the wine – think homemade pork terrine, platters of cheese, cod roe and more, crafted by head chef Holly Hayes.
10 Charlotte Street, W1T 2LT. More here.
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