How Kolkata’s restaurants make every day feel like World Music Day

We often mark World Music Day with chart-topping releases, legendary artistes, and trending playlists. But what about the places where music is lived, not just listened to? The pubs, clubs and restaurants where sound is stitched into the very fabric of the city. The spaces where voices rise without a stage, and where dinner is often accompanied by drums, jazz, rock—and everything in between.

Kolkata has always had a soft spot for live music. Not just the ticketed, full-blown concert kind, but the everyday, intimate performances that happen in iconic joints with dim lighting and full tables. These are the places where the music scene is less about spectacle and more about soul. It’s only fitting to spotlight the Kolkata restaurants where music isn’t just background noise—it’s part of the menu. In the City Of Joy, music has always been more than entertainment—it’s an essential garnish. Whether it’s jazz in a shadowy bar or rock echoing through Park Street’s pavements, the city has an uncanny way of feeding your appetite and your ears at once. 

Kolkata restaurants where music is always on the menu

Talk of a family outing together with a slice of entertainment through live music and the OG of this field crops up in your mind, doesn’t it? Since one could remember, stories from our grandparents and even parents, Trincas on Park Street was the hub everyone flocked over to, to listen to good music, to jazz, to popular singers; even National Award winners. With time Trincas overflowed (and still does today) but thankfully, the emergence of Tavern- Behind- Trincas has given more seating choices and a cosier atmosphere to the guests.

After an aesthetic transformation with a blue tapestry and a built stage, this hub is now home to Trincas first –ever in-house Bangla Band. Called Tavern-er Taal, the band performs every evening with melodies like Mone pore ruby rai to She prothom prem amar nilanjana; also taking in a few special requests from the live audience. From guitars to synthesizers and drums and vocals, the entry of a pure Bangla band which echoes of heritage and changing time in the haven of jazz and Western music has been a welcome step brought in by Anand Puri, Partner at Trincas. What works the best for the environment is the light music, dim light, slow chatters, hospitable service, iconic food and drinks and quality time with friends, family, office team, date – all on a budget.

Next door, Someplace Else continues to reign as the quintessential live music venue for those who want their beer with a side of blues. Known for its daily gigs and a tight roster of local and touring acts, this pub inside The Park has long been the launching pad for many indie musicians in the city. With low lighting, no-fuss bar bites, and a floor that’s always packed by the time the music kicks in, it’s the go-to for those who like their evenings loud, late, and filled with guitar solos. On the other end of the vibe spectrum is Skinny Mo’s Jazz Club. Tucked in Theatre Road, this intimate space is all smooth sax, classic cocktails, and black-tie class. It channels old-school New Orleans with a Calcutta heart, and on most nights, you’ll catch the city’s finest jazz musicians playing everything from bebop to fusion. The food? Globally inspired, with enough elegance to match the music.

And finally, if you want a place where time stands still—Hotel Broadway on Ganesh Chandra Avenue is a living relic with a jukebox soul. The bar food is humble, the drinks are generous, and the music? A rotating playlist of retro hits that mirrors the vintage furniture and the faded but fabulous charm of the place. Come for the mutton stew, stay for the nostalgia.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.