The Pigalle Club
West End, London

The Pigalle on Piccadilly couldn’t be more central if it tried. Vince Power, who founded the Mean Fiddler Group which owns a large number of London’s music venues, is at the helm, and he sure knows what he’s doing. The subterranean 1940s-style supper club authenticity is picture-perfect. Table service comes from staff dressed in costumes befitting the era; the wood and mirror decor is indicative of the glitz and glam of old; and occasionally big-name acts such as Van Morrison, Eartha Kitt and Shirley Bassey grace the stage alongside a cast of rising lounge and jazz talent. It’s quite a large venue, but owing to its peculiar shape it still has that cozy jazz club vibe. Excuse the pun, but the modern European menu really plays second fiddle to the music, so eat first then grab a spot on the mezzanine for the best view of the stage (the side view can be a little restricted).

The Pigalle Club
215 Piccadilly
London W1J 9HN
England
+44 (0) 20 7644 1420
reservations@vpmg.net

New Orleans soul in the heart of London. The 606 has pedigree—it’s been around for 30 years and it’s right up there with the big boys as one of London’s best. Jazz fans often refer to that all-important element of “cool” and The 606 has it in abundance. This is how jazz clubs should be: hard to find (set in an industrial neighborhood near Chelsea Harbour’s back alleys); an up-close-and-personal vibe with the artists; and cozy without being crowded. Even gaining entry has an element of mystery to it. At the gated archway, you’re buzzed in via an intercom before descending a staircase into a bare-brick basement. What you find is beatnik-chic—low ceilings, exposed concrete, dusty curtains, and scruffy tables gathered around a non-stage (the band performs on the main floor). The food and wine selection are nothing to write home about, but the grilled halibut fillet with tomato coulis, fennel and zucchini is worth trying and there's a decent wine list.

606 Club
90 Lots Road
London SW10 0QD
England
+44 (0) 20 7352 5953

The Vortex Jazz Club
Dalston, London

If you’re adamantly traditional about your jazz, it might be best to avoid Vortex. If, however, you’re open to a few fresh and progressive ideas then Vortex has a unique blend of style, age and ethnicity. Contemporary jazz is the main agenda in a broad range of formats—folky, improv, world, big band—it’s all there with names like Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine, Evan Parker, Tim Berne, F-IRE Collective, Polar Bear and Zoe Rahmann all making appearances from time to time. Despite being 21 years old, Vortex has a noticeable young vibe and is almost too fashionable for its own good, indicative of the Dalston area itself which is fast becoming a trendy hangout in the UK capital. The interior is fairly standard—candlelit tables and not the most comfy chairs—but the large blue glass frontage is very unique, in a fishbowl sort of way. On the down side the bar is limited, at best, and the restrooms could use an upgrade.

The Vortex Jazz Club
11 Gillett Square
London N16 8JH
England
+44 (0) 20 7993 3643
info@vortexjazz.co.uk

Brush aside any doubts the word “pizza” might cast upon your assumptions. Although this is far from the glitz and glamour of Ronnie Scott’s or the Pigalle, this pairing packs a big punch when it comes to music. Especially Jazz @ Pizza Express which has, in recent years, welcomed guests such as Roy Haynes, Kenny Garrett, Scott Hamilton, Norah Jones, Jamie Cullum, Diana Krall, Amy Winehouse and Peter Cincotti. Clearly, pizza is not the only thing on people’s mind. It had a refurb a few years back, which was probably needed seeing as it’s been going since 1965. The stage is tiny, so you really get that intimate aspect that many of the larger clubs don't have, which is great considering it’s in the heart of the West End. Unlike Jazz @ Pizza Express, Pizza on the Park is not a seven-day-a-week jazz joint. The performers are usually lesser known and only appear a couple of times a week. It is, however, a candlelit basement but of much larger proportions. As it’s owned by the same booking company, it too had a major renovation a little while ago. The Italian menu is simple and the wine list covers both New and Old World well for a pizza place.

Pizza Express Live
10 Dean Street
London W1D 3RW
England
+44 (0) 8456 027 017

Seeing a late-night jazz show here is the easiest way to get into this private member's club without being a member. Located in a Belgravia townhouse, near Buckingham Palace, Boisdale’s main features are meat, smoke, whisky and jazz. It's primarily a restaurant and member's club, but a little known secret is that for a nominal “jazz charge,” non-members are allowed to dine in the restaurant or position themselves at the bar after 10 p.m. to see the house band. Richard Pite’s Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band is a quartet/quintet that plays '30s to '50s-era jazz and blues. Chesterfield sofas are filled with business execs, ex-pats and university graduates, many of whom will retire to the cigar terrace on the top floor to sample one of the hundreds of Cubans available. And then there are the cocktails, wines and whiskies; again, literally hundreds to choose from. You can book ahead for a dinner table, but you'll have to take your chances if you just want a first-come, first-served spot at the bar. The fare is mainly Scotland-sourced, so steak and wild salmon are a must, unless the haggis and neeps take your fancy.

The Boisdale Jazz & Cigar Club
15 Eccleston Street
London SW1W 9LX
England
+44 (0) 20 7730 6922
info@boisdale.co.uk