Located in the heart of St-Gervais-les-Bains, BJ’s Café offers casual dining in a retro-style setting with one thing at the forefront: classic cars.
Attracting mountaineers and motorheads alike, the unique concept of BJ’s Café is what really appealed to our team when we first visited in November 2021, making it top of our list of bars and restaurants in St-Gervais-les-Bains.
We interviewed the owner and founder Aurélien about the café, his family history and his vision for the future. Here’s what he had to say…
Thanks for having us Aurélien! Could you begin by explaining your overall concept of BJ’s Café for those who haven’t yet visited?
“The concept is a combination of a garage, gallery and museum. Visitors can come and drink a beer, enjoy a burger or simply just take a look at, or purchase a car, a bike or a pair of skis.”
With such a defined concept – there must be a story behind why you chose this theme. What is it that you did before you opened BJ’s Café?
“I was born in a Toyota garage and my family have owned garages since 1900. I left the family business in 2014 to open my own garage for classic cars.”
It’s clear to see how your passion has influenced the café.
Can you tell us why you eventually decided to combine your love of cars with the hospitality industry?
“The idea of combining the two activities was mainly to share my passion for mechanics… and there is nothing better than a good beer!”
Book a self-catered holiday in Saint Gervais
The café is home to such an impressive collection of classic cars.
Is it fair to assume that you welcome a lot of motor enthusiasts to the café?
“Yes! We have a lot of mechanic/motor-enthusiasts visit the café, but they aren’t the only type of customer we get.”
Let’s talk a bit about the food. We can see there’s a great community spirit to the café and we’d love to know how this reflects on the menu.
How important is local produce to your business?
“We have access to excellent local produce in our region, so I always prefer to showcase it on our menu – it’s as simple as that!”
So we’ve heard how it’s going, but what’s next? What is your goal for BJ’s Café going forward?
“Right now we have no particular objectives, just that BJ’S café simply lasts over time.
So for us, it’s necessary to always be adaptable and stay on top!”
If you’re keen to discover more restaurants in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, take a look at our guide to eating out in the area.
Heading to Saint Gervais?
Our selection of hand-picked partner properties in the area make the perfect base for your dream stay in the mountains…
