Gordon's Wine Bar and Ronnie Scott's

Ronnie Scott’s

This jazz club first opened the doors to its basement venue in Gerrard Street in 1959, under the management of musicians Pete King and Ronnie Scott, but is now located at 47 Frith Street, Soho..
Brecon Jazz Festival named Ronnie Scott’s as one of twelve operations who have made important contributions to Jazz music in the UK, and it finished up third when votes were cast.

We visited on a Monday night to enjoy their Acoustic Jazz Longue and were warmly gereeted and escorted to our seats. The venue is cool and intimate, and this was a fantastic evenining featuring Renato D'Aiello on tenor sax, with guests. This man produced such a soulful sound , and the rhythm section were phenomenal.

Drinks are not cheap, 30 quid for 4 vodka sodas, but service was speedy and not intrusive in the slightest. Unfortunately I found the food to be under-prepared and over-salted. Though it wasn't a hindrance to me enjoying the evening, as music is the reason for being there and not the food.

The seating is very tight with little room to maneuver; but given the type of performacne we were at I felt it added to the overall resplendence of the evening. It provided a rare opportunity to be up-close and personal with the performers, and I was so mesmerised by the dulcet tones surrounding me that my thoughts were not in any way consumed by who was next to me.

Provided you eat somewhere else beforehand I could recommend whole-heartedly for Jazz lovers on my experience alone; having had a look at what their other performances offer it seems they cater for all jazz tastes.







Gordon’s Wine Bar, Charring Cross

Diana first introduced me to this trendy Wine Bar, and I took another friend there on Sunday night. Such a gem. A stone’s throw from Embankment and Charring Cross tube stations, and the most perfect setting in which to hide from the cold outside.

Make your way down a set of steep stairs to enter a dark cellar lit by candle light and be whisked away into a world of extensive wine lists and with contrasting atmospheres – subdued during the day; then brimming with people in the evening. Somehow though it remains intimate always.

A word of warning - the ceilings are very low so be mindful of where your head is if you're standing up after a few glasses !

When first eating there I ordered lamb meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, while Diana had Salmon and helped herself to the array of fresh salads on offer. On the second trip my partner and I shared a board of cheese and cold meats. All options were generous and full of flavour.