Spice of Life: jazz in the cellar, a pint upstairs
A McMullen pub with a live-music cellar at the Cambridge Circus end of Soho: when to go, what to order, and where to finish the night.
By Only Soho Editorial
The Spice of Life is not on Old Compton Street, whatever the search results suggest. It sits at 6 Moor Street, on the corner with Romilly Street, facing Cambridge Circus at the Charing Cross Road end of Soho. Say "Spice of Life, 6 Moor Street" when you are meeting someone, because the name turns up on unrelated listings too.
What it is
A McMullen & Sons pub with a live-music cellar and rooms above. CAMRA describes it as a pub, hotel and music bar, with up to five McMullen cask ales and 12 boutique rooms. Upstairs is for drinks and food. Downstairs is the Backstage Bar, home to the weekly quiz and the live music, and the reason most people come. The official line is that it is for a pint, a plate or live music, and that is a fair summary. (CAMRA)
A little history
The dates vary depending on who you ask, so treat them gently. A tavern has stood here since the 18th century (CAMRA says a licence goes back to 1686, as the George), and the building you see today dates from 1898. CAMRA notes that one of its old names, Cantons, can be seen held by a gargoyle on top of the building.
The music story is the better one. The London Picture Archive records that in the 1950s and 60s, when it was the Scots Hoose, its upstairs room housed one of Britain's most celebrated folk clubs. The Jazz Guide says the stage is said to have hosted Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Cat Stevens, as well as punk acts including the Sex Pistols and the Stranglers, and that since the late 1990s the cellar has become one of London's premier jazz hubs. Those are the venue's own claims, so enjoy them as pub legend. (London Picture Archive, The Jazz Guide)
When to go
Match the day to the room:
- Monday lunchtime: jazz, with doors at noon and music from half twelve to half two, according to The Jazz Guide. The best slot if you work nearby and want a proper break.
- Tuesday: pub quiz, doors at 6pm.
- Wednesday night: comedy at 9pm has been listed on the venue's events page.
- Friday lunchtime: jazz at 1pm.
- Saturday afternoon: comedy at 4pm.
- Sunday: the Jazz Notes jam, doors at 1pm. Go hungry and pair it with the roast.
Line-ups change, so check the events page before you set out.
The pub is open Monday to Thursday from 8am to half eleven, Friday 8am to midnight, Saturday 9am to midnight and Sunday 9am to half ten. The kitchen runs until 10pm Monday to Friday and until 9pm at weekends, so there is time for a bite before a show at the Palace Theatre next door. Evenings and weekends are the busiest. (McMullen)
What to order
- A McMullen cask ale from the bar. The beers come from Hertfordshire, and reviewers mention a pint of mild.
- The Sunday roast, which the pub promotes, on jam day.
- Sharing plates if you are in a group: a 2025 menu listed baked camembert with apricots and chilli-infused honey, curried cauliflower wings and tempura Padron peppers.
- A sandwich for a quick lunch: diners mention the steak sandwich, a fish goujon sandwich and a BLT with triple-cooked chips.
Menus change, so ask at the bar what is on today. Hotel guests get a signature breakfast too.
Prices and booking
Gigs run from around £7 to £10 plus booking fee. The Jazz Notes jam was listed at £10 on Eventbrite and Billetto, and comedy has been listed from around £7, with unreserved seating, so arrive early for a good seat. Tickets sell through Eventbrite, Billetto and DesignMyNight, so check the listing for the night you want. For the pub itself, call 020 7437 7013. (Eventbrite)
Getting there
It is a two minute walk from Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road stations, right by the Palace Theatre at Cambridge Circus.
For after: Bar Italia
A few minutes' walk away, Bar Italia at 22 Frith Street is the classic finish. Hardens dates it to 1949 and calls it a mecca for a caffeine fix at all hours, and The Infatuation calls it a classic Soho cafe-cum-institution for people-watching, espresso and hanging about almost round the clock. It stays open until the small hours. Order an espresso, take a seat by the window and watch the night go by. (The Infatuation, Hardens)
