The rise of listening bars in London: where to drink to the vinyl revival

As a life-long vinyl-lover, trapped in a world where the likes of Spotify and low attention-span streaming habits have transformed how we consume music forever, there’s no better moment for me than opening my record cabinet, taking out an album, carefully dusting it off and slowly placing it on my turntable. The anticipation as the arm moves into position followed by the gentle thud as the needle hits its groove has become a ritual for many a like-minded vinyl junkie: it’s an experience that requires patience and demands the listener to appreciate a body of work, rather than idly skipping through a few selected tracks, like an over-excited toddler.

The good news is that if the ritual, the persistence and a slower, more considered experience of vinyl is your sort of thing, then a small but growing enclave of London ‘listening bars’ is here to save the day.

The listening bar concept isn’t something particularly new. In fact, the idea of playing records, more for the purpose of actual appreciation, rather than to fill a subliminal background sound-void dates back to Japan in the 1950s, where intimate spaces – or the ‘jazz kissa’ as they were known – sometimes with only a dozen or so seats for regular patrons, would purposefully play jazz recordings of the day on high-end, audiophile sound systems to actively enhance the mood and drinking experience.

As the concept grew, so did the genres: I vividly recall my first experience of a Japanese vinyl bar back in 2009, when I discovered a tiny outlet by chance, on the 15th floor of a nondescript Shinjuku office block. A tentative knock at the door revealed its smiling, hospitable owner and an extraordinary floor-to ceiling collection of 1960s Blues, Psychedelic and Acid Rock vinyl, with an invitation to dive straight in. Each drink that followed felt more purposeful, considered and enjoyable, given that we were pairing whisky highballs to complex masterpieces from the likes of Tonto’s Expanding Head Band (check out Zero Time, their spiralling, synth-laden masterpiece from 1971) and 1960s garage psych-rockers, The Chocolate Watchband.

Back in the UK, as bar owners looked to connect more intimately with their customers, the concept of using music became a successful strategy.

Spiritland, located in the now Uber-popular Granary Square in Kings Cross, London, was arguably the first to fully embrace the listening bar concept in 2016, by designing the drinking environment around a behemoth of a sound system: huge, futuristic-looking Living Voice speakers, which are handmade in Nottinghamshire, and state-of-the-art vacuum tube amplifiers from Italian manufacturer Atelier du Triode. The mood was set for the listening experience to become equal to the drinking experience, as such a mega sound system breathed new life into the perfectly curated selection of vinyl being played: giving it more soul, purpose, air and presence. Close your eyes for a second and it was like Miles Davis had come to play an intimate gig in north London for the night.

Today, the listening bar experience has expanded across London, and here’s a selection of some of my favourite places to visit, relax, unwind and thoroughly disconnect from reality – a welcome feeling… even if it is for just a few hours.

Find your groove: the best listening bars in London

Spiritland

As mentioned, Spiritland is the daddy of them all, and the bar that helped reinforce the concept of listening bars in London nearly a decade ago. Founder Paul Noble has painstakingly curated an incredible high-end sound system, alongside bespoke record decks, reel-to-reel tape players and other vintage equipment. A café as well as a cocktail bar, Spiritland hosts sets from well-known DJs, playing everything from Balearic beats to jazz and eclectic electro. There’s even an on-site radio studio hosting podcasts and, more recently, a sister venue in Lisbon.

9 – 10 Stable Street London N1C 4AB, spiritland.com

Rhythm & Brews

As concepts go, amazing coffee, craft beers, great food and good music goes a long way and this small, but beautifully laid out environment is a haven for relaxing, whilst a turntable plays classic records. Browse through a selection of vinyl (including Elvis, The Beatles and more contemporary artists) and have your suggested ‘wax’ soundtrack the whole place, as you enjoy a coffee (from renowned roaster ECC) or a Signature Brew IPA. There are also periodic live music nights too.

22 Walpole Gdns, Chiswick, London W4 4HG, rhythmandbrews.uk

Kioku

A well as being one of London’s best sake bars, Kioku has been modelled around the traditional feel of the original jazz kissa bars from the 1950s. The environment is distinctly relaxed and has a profound living-room feel, where a turntable takes centre stage, and the soothing sounds of modern jazz or gentle breakbeats fill the gaps in conversation. The sake list, or bible, as the bar calls it, curated by ‘Sake Samurai’ Natsuki Kikuya, offers over 100 types to choose from, including classic brands, more modern, craft expressions (among them four created in the UK) aged sake and a distinct focus on rice varietals. Somewhere to explore where the listening bar concept truly began.

57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX, kiokubyendo.com

Seed Library

When the creative brains behind the award-winning Lyaness bar enter the chat, you know something exceptional will flourish. Seed Library is a Shoreditch-based listening bar and sibling to the aforementioned Lyaness, located in the cavernous basement of 100 Shoreditch hotel, developed by cocktail specialist Ryan Chetiawardana and his Mr Lyan team. Its focus is on nature in its purest analogue forms: with a simple ethos to unwind in a truly relaxing lounge environment, whilst being served exceptional high-end cocktails, bar snacks to die for and, of course, a selection of vinyl, played through a bespoke vacuum tube sound system. At the weekends you’ll find Shoreditch’s finest vinyl merchants, Diggers Dozen spinning the tunes.

100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ, seedlibraryshoreditch.com

Jumbi

Jumbi’s founders Bradley Zero and Nathanael Colours have poured their heart, soul and incredibly extensive record collections into this wonderfully laid-out listening bar/restaurant, which concentrates on the vibrancy of Peckham and the sounds and flavours of the Caribbean diaspora. With a bespoke single turntable system and vintage tape echo units – the housing created by designer, Don Heston – the aim is to focus on the appreciation of the album as a body of work, rather than creating mixes. Both the music and cocktails are centered around the Afro-Caribbean heritage of the founders. If nights are about true vibe, then Jumbi is right up there with the best.

Unit 4.1, Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Road, Peckham, SE15 3SN, jumbipeckham.com

Jazu

Some would say that the stereo is the true cultural centre of the household and for the founders of Jazu, having finally found a permanent location in Deptford to house their beloved sound system after years of south London pop-ups and residencies, it must feel like they have truly arrived home. After first experiencing a listening bar in Mexico, founders Rosie Robertson and Jimmy Hanmer wanted to keep the concept simple: create a space that would become legendary for its comfort and hospitality. The sound system has been created by south London audio engineer Bosco Taylor and the 3,000-strong collection of vinyl, curated by Hanmer, is as varied and diverse as the cocktails, which come with a strong agave spirit bent: A Mezcal Mule never sounded as good as this….

No.2 Deptford High Street, London, SE8 4AF, jazudrinks.com

All My Friends

This east London bar and music joint is perhaps the true definition of a hybrid space. Part bar, part record shop, part riverside terrace, this former industrial unit overlooking the Thames has become one of London’s most talked-about locations. Being named after an LCD Sound System song will give you a bit of an idea about the vibe here: a killer high-fidelity system of their own, curated vinyl nights from local record collectors and DJs, sourdough pizzas courtesy of the in-house oven, and a wealth of natural wine and craft beers. Something tells me we’re all gonna be friends.

Unit 1, Hamlet Estate, 96 White Post Ln, London E9 5EN, allmyfriends.uk