Where To Celebrate Bastille Day Around Fort Greene & Clinton Hill

Nora Whelan -


Happy almost Bastille Day! La Fête Nationale is this coming Monday, July 14. Celebrating one country’s independence doesn’t seem like enough this month, so check out these options for French-themed fun (and plenty of food!) all the way through next weekend.

  • Step just outside of the neighborhood to catch the food, tunes, and other festivities on Smith Street (west from Atlantic Avenue), which will be taking place on Sunday, June 13. Pétanque starts at noon, but bring the kids at 10am to see local John Quadrozzi’s super cool cement mixer spread sand for the game. If you want to register a team for the day’s tournament, call Bar Tabac at 718-923-0918.
  • Check out live music at Chez Oskar (211 Dekalb Avenue on the corner of  Adelphi Street) tonight through Monday night starting around 8pm, plus their own pétanque tournament on July 14.

Want to forgo all the fuss? Catch an easy French dinner at one of these spots (starred restaurants closed on Monday, but you could always go this weekend):

  • Café Lafayette (99 South Portland Avenue between Fulton Street and Lafayette Avenue)
  • Café Paulette (136 Dekalb Avenue between South Elliott Place and South Portland Avenue)
  • Hill Cafe (17 Putnam Avenue between Grand Avenue and Cambridge Place)
  • ICI (246 Dekalb Avenue between Clermont and Vanderbilt Avenues)*
  • Three Letters (930 Fulton Street between Saint James Place and Washington Avenue)*

Enjoy!

Photo via Chez Oskar