Central Line aside, listening bars are the hottest things in London right now – and Soho just got a new one.
It’s called Under The Counter, and you’ll find it exactly where you’d hope: underneath The Counter Soho, the sibling site to Notting Hill’s The Counter, which is easily one of the best Turkish restaurants in London, full stop, thanks to its modern twist on ocakbasi dining from chef Kemal Demirasal (who also happens to be a six-time Turkish windsurfing champion).
This new venture is separate to the restaurant, and has its own cocktail menu, food menu, and a a gloriously obsessive music program driven by vinyl & DJs – and for a little extra music to your ears, Nudge Members (and a lucky guest) are getting 50% off cocktails from 1st-15th May.
So, the bar.
Head into The Counter, and down the stairs at the back, and you’ll come out into a subterranean space that’s low-lit and confidently minimalist. There’s a statement wall at the back lined with exotic booze, an intimidating library of vinyl records, and a towering collection of serious-looking black speakers. Clamped onto it is a C-shaped bar for both DJ and bartender to work their magic.
The man in charge of the drinks is Joao Silva — a cocktail guru with two decades of experience across Europe and the US – who’s put together a remarkably efficient menu of just half a dozen drinks. Standouts include the dangerously drinkable and smooth 3ANANA (made with banana butter-washed rum, smoked cinnamon, and dark chocolate liqueur), and the Mango Sticky Rice, which blends coconut & pandan rum with clarified mango, and toasted rice — channelling a Thai-style dessert, in a well-balanced way.
Soaking this up is a list of quietly high-effort bar bites designed to pair with the spice-forward cocktail list. Think: pistachio and feta cigars with crisp phyllo pastry; house-cured sujuk sausage with butter beans; and fries with homemade caviar mayo. Yes, caviar mayo.
And of course, a relatively important part of this listening bar is the listening bit – the music comes pumped out of Michell Gyrodec and Technics 1210 turntables, Klipsch Cornwall and Heresy speakers, and rest assured that anyone who know what those words mean would be visibly moved. Expect regular big name DJ nights, and specially curated playlists.
It probably won’t be under the radar for long…
NOTE: Under The Counter is open now. It’s walk-ins only, no bookings. You can find out more at The Counter website.
PERK: Nudge Members (+1) are getting 50% off cocktails from 1st – 15th May. You can find out more at the ‘50% Off Cocktails’ box at the top of this page.
Not yet a Nudge Member? Take it for a spin with a free trial.
The Counter Soho | 15 Kingly Street, Carnaby, London W1B 5PS
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