A wine shop and bar sourcing the best value, most interesting and ultimately pleasurable wine (and other booze) available in the UK. Drinks that are typically made in small quantities by passionate enthusiasts from the best natural ingredients with as little intervention as possible. Our moto: "drink better". Our thing: Great wine at every price level.
"The wine list at Joyau changes daily, and the always-lovely staff won’t embarrass you in front of your date if you ask them what a ‘zippy pét-nat' is. This low-key spot is tucked into a Forest Gate railway arch and has the kind of low lighting and flickering candles that encourages maximum flirting and is generous to those who’ve had long weeks. You could happily stick to the interesting chalkboard wine list but the modern European small plates are worth getting involved in. Especially the potato pie with its perfectly scalloped discs of potato and pleasing dollop of crème fraîche." - Rianne Shlebak, Jake Oliver, Sinead Cranna
"Like the black roll neck you’re emotionally attached to, a date at Joyau can be made fancy or kept low-key. Tucked inside a Forest Gate railway arch, it serves excellent European small plates and has dim lighting that’s kind to those who’ve had long weeks. Sit between stacks of wine books that make it feel like you’re flirting over the kitchen counter. But one that’s got vases of wildflowers rather than passive aggressive sticky notes. Like moths to a flame, couples drift in, drawn by the seductive beads of condensation rolling down glasses of rosé and the need for somewhere a little more special than their local pub." - Jake Oliver, Rianne Shlebak, Sinead Cranna
"A brewer, a baker, and a winemaker—the east London fairy tale is alive and well in Forest Gate. Joyau has completed the list of perfect things in the railway arches here, with their wine bar snuggled between Wild Goose Bakery and the Pretty Decent Beer Co. Inspired by travels through France, the bar will serve small plates like pork and duck rillettes as well as lots of natural wine. " - Daisy Meager, Sinead Cranna
"The wine list at Joyau changes frequently enough to keep up with our mood swings—so that’s daily—and staff won’t judge you if you ask them what exactly a ‘zippy pét-nat' is. This low-key spot is tucked into a Forest Gate railway arch and has the kind of low lighting and flickering candles that are generous to those who’ve had long weeks. You could happily stick to the interesting chalkboard wine list but the food is worth getting involved in. Especially the potato pie with its perfectly scalloped discs of potatoes and pleasing dollop of crème fraîche. " - Heidi Lauth Beasley, Jake Oliver, Daisy Meager, Sinead Cranna
"Evenings at Joyau go a little something like this: a sip of rosé, smear slow-cooked pork over bread, snort-laugh at your mate’s National Theatre-worthy re-enactment of their latest date, mouthful of potato pie, more wine. Repeat until you roll out of this Forest Gate arch significantly happier and fuller than when you arrived. With equally good wine and food, getting involved in both is a no-brainer at Joyau." - Team Infatuation