London's new bistro Josephine offers a slice of France within Chelsea. With a warm, family approach, and a Lyonnaise focus, the dining spot is sure to become a favourite for local Francophiles.
Josephine opens its doors, bringing Lyonnaise bistro dining to Chelsea
Located on a quiet corner of Fulham Road, the neighbourhood bistro, opened by Michelin-starred Claude Bosi and Lucy Bosi, is the couple's first joint venture, and inspired by the traditional Lyonnaise restaurants, or bouchons, they often frequented in the city.
Family values are at the core of the restaurant, named after Claude’s late grandmother. The menu is specifically curated around the meals she used to serve him during his childhood. Against the backdrop of white tablecloths, dark wood chairs, and a glistening bar that signals comfort and familiarity, the menu serves up French bistro classics.
Enjoy an array of traditional dishes, such as French onion soup, rabbit in mustard sauce, and an endive, gruyere and walnut salad. Regional Lyonnaise specialties include cervelle de canut, a light blend of white cheese, herbs and crème fraîche; chicken liver terrine with vin jaune; and comforting Lyonnaise sausages baked in brioche, served with a Beaujolaise sauce. Guests can also enjoy the set ‘Menu des Canuts’, named after the French term for Lyonnais silk and lace weavers.
The interior was designed by Fabled Studio, capturing the classic and timeless character of Lyonnaise restaurants. The 76-cover space is surrounded by antique mirrors, candelabra lighting and small bistro tables. The restaurant has a casual yet sophisticated feel, perfect for a candlelit dinner with friends, or a relaxing colloquial lunch.
Claude Bosi, who most recently opened Brooklands at The Peninsula, London, comments, ‘We're incredibly excited to bring a little piece of Lyon to Chelsea with the opening of Josephine. This restaurant is a very personal project for us, an ode to my grandmother and the traditional bouchons of Lyon that have always held a special place in our hearts. With Josephine, we hope to create a welcoming space that we hope locals, Londoners, and friends from afar will want to keep coming back to.’ See more of the new London restaurants to book now
-
Fluid workspaces: is the era of prescriptive office design over?We discuss evolving workspaces and track the shape-shifting interiors of the 21st century. If options are what we’re after in office design, it looks like we’ve got them
-
This collection of slow furniture is a powerful ode to timeA serene exhibition of David Dolcini's 'Time-made' collection has fast-tracked its place into our hearts and homes
-
Is the Pragma P1 the most sustainable watch yet?Geneva-based brand Pragma combines industrial design with real sustainable credentials
-
Burns Night 2025: where to celebrate in LondonIt is time to raise a wee dram to Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns on Burns Night (25 January). Here is our pick of places to enjoy an evening of generous speechmaking, toasting, and drinking around London
-
Grand English glamour vs the Italian dolce vita? Why Il Pellicano's Claridge’s takeover is a sun-kissed delightClaridge's welcomes Hotel Il Pellicano with open arms for a one week restaurant residency of laid back luxury and Tuscan charm
-
Lunar New Year in London: where to celebrate the Year of the Wood SnakeDo you want a year of good fortune and happiness? Then it is time to tuck into some of London’s cult favourite hotspots, devour decadent treats, and toast the Lunar New Year, and we have you covered with our guide to all things going on in the city (from 29 January until 8 February 2025)
-
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at one of London (and the world’s) finest Mexican restaurantsDía de los Muertos will arrive at KOL in Marylebone on 2 November, with a collaborative menu including dishes from the chefs behind Endo at The Rotunda to The Connaught, wrapped up with a mezcal fiesta
-
Mark’s Club’s interior refresh brings British countryside charm to the heart of MayfairLocated in a classic Mayfair townhouse, Mark’s Club unveils its new interiors, from greenhouse extensions to a new open-plan layout full of trinkets and charm
-
Frogs legs to fromage: Café François is London’s newest French canteen, serving up all the classics with a contemporary global twistThe founders of Mayfair's Maison François have opened a new addition, Café François. The Borough-based canteen offers an array of French classics from dawn to dusk
-
Dramatic and immersive, Dosa dishes up Korean cuisine with a moody flairThe Mandarin Oriental Mayfair welcomes Dosa, a new Korean restaurant by Akira Back
-
Yauatcha’s bespoke mooncakes mark the start of delicious celebrations for Mid-Autumn FestivalYauatcha, London’s Chinese dim sum teahouse, celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival (17 September) with three flavours of limited-edition mooncakes
