There are plenty of places to splash the cash in London, but we’ve got a pretty good idea of where’s worth splashing it for the jazz-heads amongst us. Legendary London jazz club Ronnie Scotts has arrived at the Dorchester for a night of jaunty jazz, sexy swing and fancy food by Martyn Nail – all under the warm glow of The Grill at The Dorchester, and its frankly enormous chandeliers.
Each month, an artist will take to the stage for a night of contemporary jazz. We visited in September, and it was a glorious evening of Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson Five and more – sung by the ridiculously talented Phebe Edwards and her very slick band. If the first half occasionally made you cry, by the end of the second half she had couples slowdancing at the front. And despite a very Dorchester crowd, things were relaxed and genuinely fun. Coming up later this year is singer and pianist Natalie Duncan (October 28), Frances Madden (November 25), and Emma Smith (December 8).
Included in your ticket is a four-course pre-show dinner, which opens with warm bread and butter and a variety of cute little nibbles. Then, a delightfully light and bright tuna crudo, and a well-cooked fillet of beef and peppercorn sauce with both mash and fondant potatoes (the veggie main option, an intensely cheesy truffle tart, was fabulous too). There’s also plenty of Ruinart champagne, who they’ve partnered with for the shows. The menu might differ slightly depending on the performance. Your £175 ticket includes dinner and the performance – any drinks are extra.
Book a table for October, November and December on The Dorchester’s website.