If you’re someone who saves Champagne for a special occasion, Clark Gale and Zac Denham’s new Phila Street bar, Bocage, is about to change your mind—or at least help you redefine “special occasion.” “There’s girls night, date night, the start of your night, the end of your night,” says Denham. “There’s a sparkling wine for every occasion.”
The cozy confection of a bar (it seats 20, holds 30, and at press time was scheduled to open in early March) is a nod to all bubbly, and boasts an unheard-of 10 by-the-glass options. Some stand-outs you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the area: Mosnel rosé from Franciacorta and a Cá Furlan prosecco.
Not that the party is limited at Bocage (named after the landscape of Champagne, France, a landscape style that also exists here, thus the Capital Region-Northern France link). It also offers a full bar, signature cocktails, and New York State still wines. To complement all of the toasting, there’s a packed menu of sandwiches, local cheeses and charcuterie, oysters and caviar. To start, the bar is open seven days a week, 4pm–midnight. A festive tea service brunch and extended hours are planned for summer.
“Celebration is synonymous with Champagne,” says Gale. “And there’s always something to celebrate in Saratoga Springs.”
