Shoreditch is no stranger to cocktail bars, but what sets Hidden Grooves apart is its dedication to all things audio.
Hidden Grooves is the latest in London’s burgeoning listening bar scene, and is part of the recently opened Virgin Hotel London-Shoreditch on Curtain Road (formerly the Mondrian Shoreditch and – before that – The Curtain). It’s a prestigious spot to fill, and the rapidly expanding Virgin Hotel brand is bringing something new to the table with its unique spin (pun intended) on the listening bar concept.
By its own definition, Hidden Grooves is where ‘high-fidelity sound meets low-key atmosphere… inspired by the golden age of vinyl and the rebellious spirit of Virgin Records’. Award-winning studio EPR Architects took inspiration from Japanese listening bars and 1970s living rooms to create a space that’s cool, inviting and intimate. There are heavy splashes of red, thick velvet curtains, mid-century furnishings and Twin Peaks-esque chequerboard flooring – the kind of environment where it feels like it’s 2am at any point of the day.
Vinyl records fill practically every inch of wall space (save for the obligatory plants). The hi-fi listening bar concept means that guests are invited to peruse the impressive collection and have a go at spinning the decks, or settle in at one of the curated listening stations. There’s also a series of live DJ sets and takeovers throughout the year, if you’d prefer to leave it to the professionals.
Hidden Grooves also serves a very Shoreditch-appropriate menu of small plates (prawn ceviche, beef sliders and Korean fried cauliflower to name a few) and, of course, excellent cocktails mixed by impeccably presented bar staff.
Each signature cocktail is named after or inspired by a Virgin Records album from the 1970s with a “modern twist” – from God Save The Queen by The Sex Pistols to Kraftwerk’s seminal 1978 record The Man Machine. But the team can always fix up your favourite tipple, too. A great place to mentally check out for a few hours and indulge your inner disc jockey after a long day in the office.
Hidden Grooves at Virgin Hotel London-Shoreditch, 45 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PT; virginhotels.com
Gemma Billington is a London-based writer and editor
