The five best London restaurants for music lovers
A long time ago now, somebody described eating out as “the new theatre”. I’m inclined to agree. A really brilliant meal is a full-body experience, a sensory immersion that leaves the diner giddy with enthusiasm and, if they go in for that sort of thing, pleasantly drunk.
Of course, it’s hard to feel immersed when you’re listening to the same Spotify playlist playing in the cafe down the road. Here at Far Out, we understand that great food should always be paired with great music. With that in mind, we’ve bought you five of London’s best restaurants for music lovers.
There was a time when London was something of a culinary wasteland. These days, the city is an absolute hotbed of Michelin-star establishments, buzzy eateries and innovative chefs. It’s never been a better time to eat out in London, but it’s also easier than ever to get lured into somewhere you wouldn’t normally go near, especially if you’re looking to enjoy some music at the same time.
All too often, restaurants use the promise of live music as an excuse to serve food you could quite easily have made at home or bought from any half-decent takeaway. In this list, we’ve tried to select five establishments where the food is as good as the music. We’ll have no sacrifices here. Happy dining.
The Tent (At The End of The Universe)
Address: 17 Little Portland St, London W1W 8BP.
John Javier’s new London restaurant is a feast for the eyes, ears and tastebuds. Boasting a world-class sound system designed by Berlin audio specialists Martion, this sumptuously-lit former members club on Little Portland Street bridges the gap between food and music like nowhere else. On entering Javier’s faintly Bedouin interior, you’ll find fellow musos chatting over colourful dishes, seated DJs nestled between lamplit tables, and, if you’re lucky, a house band grooving to Bossa Nova.
Despite being open to the general public since August 17th, The Tent still feels very exclusive. The menu is only available inside the restaurant, and diners are forbidden from taking photographs of their food, meaning that there’s no chance of being anything other than 100% immersed in your meal. While you browse a Middle Eastern-inspired menu, which includes giant Carabineiro prawns, melted Saganaki cheese and Iberico Pork schnitzel, you can expect to hear a diverse selection of dub and rare-groove records. Make sure you check out the looped Robin Williams comedy routines in the washroom, and don’t be afraid to ask the staff for food recommendations – they’re all very well informed. Oh, and if you want to try the best cocktail in London, ask for the Koko. You will not regret it.
Brasserie Zédel
Address: 20 Sherwood St, London W1F 7ED.
Ever wondered what it must have felt like to dine in Belle Epoque Paris? If the answer to the question is yes, then you really ought to try Brasserie Zédel in Picadilly Circus. As well as hosting the West End’s most intoxicating cabaret, The Crazy Coqs, this art-deco haven of food and music puts on bands and chamber ensembles every night of the week.
Artists stay for week-long residencies and perform everything from gipsy jazz to tango in the Brasserie’s opulent marble-paved dining room. Carnivores would do well to try the rabbit rillettes with Dijon mustard. Vegetarians, never fear – just promise me you’ll try the ragout of artichoke hearts. At this point, you might be expecting Brasserie Zédel to be the kind of establishment at which only the most well-monied Londoners have the pleasure of dining. Think again, mon ami – Zédel is surprisingly affordable. Just stay away from the lower quarters of the wine list.
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
Address: 47 Frith St, London W1D 4HT.
Jazz club first and restaurant second, Ronnie Scott’s is a name that’ll be familiar to any of you jazz aficionados out there. This legendary Soho venue has hosted pretty much every iconic jazz, soul and R&B artist you can think of. Nina Simone, Curtis Mayfield, and Bill Evans have all made appearances at one point or another.
The venue still puts on some of the best jazz nights in the city centre, but the best way of experiencing Ronnie Scott’s (in my oh-so-humble opinion) is to book a table on the second floor, where you’ll get a brilliant view of the acts and have the chance to wine and dine yourself into a schmaltzy reverie. Expect the best in Anglo-French cuisine, including a selection of to-die-for starters like whipped goat’s cheese and cured salmon tartare. To drink: something dark and bitter like a Negroni or an Old Fashioned.
Allyu
Address: 25 Sheldon Square, London W2 6EY.
This Japanese-Peruvian wonder in Paddington is probably the only restaurant in London that boasts an immersive brunch experience. From 12 to 4 every Saturday, Allyu welcomes the best DJs and samba bands for an unforgettable celebration of food and music that’ll leave you smiling from ear to ear. Oh, and you get unlimited drinks.
This cosy, jade-green jewel of a restaurant is all about sharing. The menu consists of small plates blending traditional Peruvian flavours and Japanese influences expertly designed for the whole table. That doesn’t mean I didn’t attempt to eat my favourite dishes (uramaki crab, slow-cook pork) all by myself. God Bless Allyu.
Ochre
Address: National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN.
Nestled inside London’s National Gallery, Ochre is the work of husband and wife duo Charlotte and Sam Miller and has already gained a reputation as one of the city’s most exquisite new restaurants. Serving gourmet dishes using only the best in seasonal British produce, Ochre is open for brunch, lunch, and afternoon tea. But it’s dinner you really want to aim for, and not just because that’s the only time you’ll get the chance to taste the pan-fried monkfish.
As well as “sensorial” wine dinners and talks exploring the work of artists like Lucian Freud and Winslow Homer, Ochre puts on quintets, quartets and trios on a regular basis. Every Thursday evening from 6.30, the restaurant is filled with the sound of plucked guitars, soulful vocals and blissful strings. Set within one of the grandest Neoclassical buildings in central London, Ochre is about as sumptuous as it gets.
