Ground Floor & Basement,
60-62 Commercial Street,
Shoreditch,
London,
E1 6LT
0871 971 3838
The ViewLondon Review
Sometimes music can seduce the eyes as well as the ears. At least, that’s the case with East London’s Gramaphone, where arresting photographs of music industry icons punctuate the brick walls.The Venue
The walls of the bar at Gramaphone are dedicated to photography ranging from the Rolling Stones and Sammy Davis Junior to Sonny and Cher. Each eye-catching image is precisely the same square size and meticulously lit with a solitary lightbulb creating the air of a cutting-edge gallery.
The rest of the lounge bar is minimalist and low-key: chunky wooden tables, brown slouchy sofas, shiny wooden floors.
The Atmosphere
Such simple furniture focuses attention on both the powerful portraits and the vast front windows, as they frame the Spitalfield shoppers and sharp city boys shooting past outside. Music is obviously well-selected, with only the choicest funk seeping from the speakers.
The Food
The drink and dining menus offer unique medleys. The open kitchen ingeniously mixes ingredients, such as the sumptuous Mediterranean platter, which splices lamb and courgette with red peppers and almonds.
The Drink
Cocktails mix up an extremely generous range of spirits and juices, such as the Bad Attitude which is, conversely, very good; a blend of Bacardi, vodka, gin, tequila, triple sec and amaretto with pineapple, orange and cranberry juice.
The Last Word
Its namesake may have died out, but Gramaphone bar certainly offers enough modern attractions to ensure it will run and run.