There used to be a time back in the day that live music and eating went hand in hand. A bit of Jazz here, a bit of Blues there – but in recent years that tradition seems to have fallen a bit by the wayside. However, luckily for us lot, London is always throwing up some surprises. Here’s our rundown of the best restaurants with live music in London to get you movin’ and shakin’:
1. Ronnie Scott’s, Soho
This is one of the oldest jazz clubs in the entire world. It opened in 1959 and features most of the legendary and popular names in modern jazz and jazz fusion. Some people call Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club the ‘best jazz bar in London’ – and for good reason. It’s certainly a bit on the pricey side of things, but well worth it.
The well-established jazz club has a long tradition and is the playground for many celebrities, who offer great concerts in a club atmosphere. Tickets should be booked well in advance, although sometimes you are lucky and can still get one or two tickets at the box office. It feels rather classy than cosy, is well organised and offers an extensive array of delicious food and drinks too.
📍You’ll find Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club at 47 Frith Street, London, W1D 4HT.
🚇 Nearest stations are Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road.
2. Charlie’s, Mayfair
Charlie’s a stunning Mayfair restaurant led by Michelin Star chef Adam Byatt in the beautiful Brown’s Hotel. And every Sunday, they have jazz nights led by the Greg David – a trio of musicians who specialise in the new jazz style influenced by samba and jazz coming out of Brazil in the late ’50s. It is a guaranteed way to get rid of the Sunday scaries!
📍 You’ll find Charlie’s at 33 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, W1S 4B.
🚇 Nearest Tube Station is Green Park.
3. One Aldwych, Covent Garden
You can experience a Jazzy evening on Thursday at One Aldwych. Bringing live music to the lobby at the hotel, you can also enjoy it from the hotel’s restaurant, Indigo, which sits right above the lobby. Led by Chef Dominic Teague, you can experience excellent food alongside some great jazz.
📍 1 Aldwych, Covent Garden, WC2B 4BZ.
🚇 Nearest Tube Station is Covent Garden.
4. Dishoom, Kensington
You know, the team here at Secret London are huge day one Dishoom enthusiasts. The one in Kensington is extra special as they have an incredible evening of 1940s Indian jazz between Wednesdays and Fridays playing in the background as you enjoy some of the most delightful Indian dishes inspired by Bombay Irani cafes.
📍 You’ll find Dishoom at 4 Derry Street, Kensington, W8 5SE.
🚇 Nearest Tube Station is High Street Kensington.
5. The Piano Works
The Piano Works is the only spot in London where the audience decides what is played music-wise, so what better spot to while away a couple of hours with a bottomless brunch?! The idea is that guests pick up a napkin once they’ve settled down, write down their song request and send it to the pianist, who will then get down and give their best rendition of it.
In terms of food and drink, you’re all set for a good night here. You can get two courses for just 24 quid at their Farringdon branch, and dishes include dry-aged ribeye steak, vegan shepherd’s pie and salmon tartare. They also do a mean selection of cocktails, happy hours and bottomless brunches too.
📍You’ll find The Piano Works at 113-117 Farringdon Road, London, EC1R 3BX and at 47 Whitcomb Street, London, WC2H 7DH.
🚇 Nearest stations are Farringdon and Piccadilly Circus.
6. Brasserie Zédel
An absolute gem this one. Marble pillars, gilded ceilings and Art Deco paintings make up the surroundings inside Brasserie Zédel, which might not be something you’d expect in a place where a two-course meal can only set you back just over a tenner.
Situated just a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus, this traditional brasserie might look unassuming from the outside, but on the inside, they spare no expense when it comes to decor – and the food is pretty dreamy too. They also have a great range of events and gigs on in the evenings, all taking place in the elegant, marble-clad dining room. Live musicians play here every night of the week, and they play everything from Argentinian tango to Parisian folk music.
📍You’ll find Brasserie Zédel at 20 Sherwood Street, W1F 7ED.
🚇 Nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.
7. The Blues Kitchen
There are three different branches of The Blues Kitchen – a late night bar-come-restaurant which is ‘London’s very own home of Blues and Rock’n’Roll music’. They rustle up some damn fine American soul food – think juicy burgers, pork ribs and shrimp tacos – as well as 80 different types of Bourbon, cocktails, beers and wines.
On top of all this, they’ve got some great live music throughout the week and DJs spin the decks until the wee hours during the weekends at their Brixton, Shoreditch and Camden spots.
📍You’ll find The Blues Kitchen at three different locations in London. You can find out more here.
8. Boisdale
Next on this roundup of the best restaurants with live music in London is often labelled as the city’s number one Jazz venue, and it’s easy to see why. They rustle up tasty traditional British fare and the Canary Wharf branch has an extensive whisky bar, which serves over 1000 different kinds of malt whiskies.
The revered Jools Holland is the ‘Boisdale Patron of Music’, so you can tell that they put on a good show. Ticketed live Jazz is on most evenings, and recent artists playing have included Laura Mvula, Rebecca Ferguson, Toploader and The British Collective.
📍You’ll find Boisdale at three different locations in London. You can find out more here.
9. Quaglinos
Quaglinos is a long-established spot which has been serving its eclectic clientele all the way since back in 1929. Over the years it’s hosted everyone from nobility to royalty – and it was even mentioned in ‘Ab Fab’ which is high praise indeed.
There’s a whole host of great music on offer at Quaglinos, and their live music calendar is always chock-a-block full of some pretty legendary acts. Pick the night you want, grab a bottle of bubbly a la Patsy and Edina and kick back and relax!
📍You’ll find Quaglinos at 16 Bury Street, St. James’s, London ,SW1Y 6AJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Green Park.
10. 100 Wardour Street
Another solid addition to this roundup of restaurants with live music, 100 Wardour Street is a lively Soho spot combining a stylish, all-day lounge and eatery with a downstairs dance club.
There’s live music from Wednesdays through to Sundays, and regular live DJ sets downstairs which will keep you entertained until the early hours. Don’t miss their ‘Fiesta Wednesdays’ – what better way to celebrate getting over hump day than three courses, a glass of bubbles, and live music. It’s also just 35 quid – so a bit of a steal really!
📍You’ll find 100 Wardour Street at 100 Wardour Street, London, W1F 0TN.
🚇 Nearest stations are Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square.
11. Salvador and Amanda
For crazy sangria-fuelled Flamenco nights, there’s no better spot in town than Salvador and Amanda close to Leicester Square and Covent Garden. This is the kind of place where you can start your evening with a paella and finish it up with a fiesta. Vamos a bailar?
They’ve also recently launched their new brunch menu, which features three courses of mouth-watering Spanish cuisine that you can wash down with their signature sangria, beer, wine or bubbles, all whilst you sit back and listen to some authentic Latin music. Sounds pretty great to us.
📍You’ll find Salvador and Amanda at 8 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7JA.
🚇 Nearest station is Covent Garden.
12. Kindred
Offering relaxed vibes, great live music and an extensive drinks menu featuring specially-crafted cocktails, the Grade II-listed Kindred is quite possibly the place to go in West London if you’re looking to listen to some great jams.
The member’s-club-turned-community-space is set within a beautiful Georgian mansion. They whip up some fantastic food in their ‘Cellar’ restaurant, with a selection of ‘worldly dishes [with] local flavours’. There is everything from Korean Spiced Dexter Beef Tartare to Muhammara (spiced red pepper dip) & Flat Bread, Slow Cookd Lamb Shoulder, and more. And the music? Well, they’ve got everything from Soul and Motown to more acoustic stuff at their weekly ‘Live Music Fridays’ in the private members’ section of the club.
📍You’ll find Kindred at Bradmore House, Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9BW.
🚇 Nearest station is Hammersmith.
13. La Bodega Negra
Peep show, anyone? A sheep in wolf’s clothing, La Bodega Negra, on the south-east corner of Soho, has been attracting and confusing customers since 2011. Part sex shop, part restaurant with entertainment, this quirky pad offers a wide array of different menu options that have been overseen by new Head Chef Gustavo Giallonardo.
His take on modern Mexican cuisine has resulted in dishes such as taco al pastor, with pineapple pico de gallo and salsa verde, or scallop tiradito with serrano, aguachile and kolrhabi. They also have a fantastic soundtrack of live Cubano, Mambo and Guaracha as well as animated DJ sets at the weekends.
📍You’ll find La Bodega Negra at 16 Moor Street, London, W1D 5AP.
🚇 Nearest station is Tottenham Court Road.
14. Sarastro
Billing itself as ‘the show after the show’, this deliciously OTT restaurant boasts an array of barmy decorations and a flair for the flamboyant. The food ain’t bad either at Sarastro – mezze platters, falafel, and lamb make frequent appearances on the menu, although there’s a healthy number of veggie and vegan options for the meat-averse.
Meanwhile, your dinner will be soundtracked by classical music and arias from legendary operas; a refreshing change from the stale playlists of your average fast-casual chain.
📍You’ll find Sarastro at 126 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5SU.
🚇 Nearest station is Covent Garden.
15. Scarlett Green
This lively spot is located right in the heart of Soho is famous for its bottomless brunch, which features DJs, excellent Aussie dishes, bottomless prosecco, and even a ‘Pornstar Martini Fountain’. Now that we can get on board with. Scarlett Green also rustles up some pretty mean sharing boards with a choice of slivers of barbecued meat or vegan bits and bobs.
This being our penultimate entry on this list of restaurants with live music, they’ve also got ‘West End Sessions’, a night dedicated to some of theatre’s favourite performances. Run by frontman Daniel Koek, it includes seasoned West End names and up and coming talent too.
📍You’ll find Scarlett Green at 4 Noel Street, London W1F 8GB.
🚇 Nearest station is Tottenham Court Road.
16. Toulouse Lautrec
Rounding off this list of the best restaurants with live music is a delightful French spot that looks like it’s right out of a film set. Toulouse Lautrec is modelled on a Parisian brasserie right from the 1920’s, and they serve everything from smoked salmon to foie gras terrine. They also do a mean cheese and charcuterie board.
Upstairs lies the fab Jazz Club, which has an elegant grand piano on stage. They do everything here from burlesque to cabaret, and there’s also a Piano Room here too.
📍You’ll find Toulouse Lautrec at 140 Newington Butts, London, SE11 4RN.
🚇 Nearest stations are Elephant and Castle and Kennington.
So there we have it – a rundown of the best restaurants with live music. From Jazz to Opera, there’s something for everyone here, so see what takes your fancy and enjoy a night on the town!