The top jazz bars in Shoreditch

A short walk away from Shoreditch High Street Station, you'd be forgiven for missing Ninety-One Living Room on your first pass. The forward-thinking, locally ingrained jazz bar has quietly yet steadily built up a loyal following amongst those in the know. Shifting effortlessly from cafe to late-night bar, Ninety One Living Room pairs clean interiors, pop-up food stalls and a well-chosen drinks menu to make you feel right at home. Expect world beers, European wines and some really wonderful house cocktails for reasonable prices.

Coming to the Jazz, things retain their high standard. The soundsystem alone is worth mentioning: pole-mounted speakers flank the stage delivering crisp and clear sound, whilst a pair of high-end bass music lend depth to any live performance. Their programming is forward-thinking, giving plenty of exposure to established and new jazz acts, but also accommodating club nights, bands and more (there was even a boiler room here). Not bad for a living room.

The real thing, Troy Bar is careful and considerate with their programming. Highlighting emergent talent and with a real focus on inclusivity, crowd enjoyment and promoting good music over profit, Troy Bar has rightly become a social hub of the Hoxton and Shoreditch area for those who appreciate independent music-loving venues.

The programming varies from Jazz funk sessions and open mic Tuesdays to more low-key acoustic events. Also worth shouting about is the excellent Caribbean food (lots of jerks chicken, curry goat and steamed fish, all washed down with a crisp pint.

A far cry from the intimate jazz bars of old, Blues Kitchen has taken a more club-night approach to the music of the American south. Heart attack-inducing cajun dining and big-flavour cocktails comprise the menu. with Wednesday evenings blessing Shoreditch with a 6£ cocktail night. That's worth going for alone.

The music admittedly sways more towards blues and soul, though you'll be able to catch the occasional jazz night here – just don't expect to get a table, once evening comes the vibe turns more nightclubby than Ronnie Scott's.

Vortex is not short on accolades: described as one of the top 150 jazz bars in the world (yes, the world) by American jazz and blues magazine Downbeat, the Dalston bar has made quite the impact on London's busy Jazz scene.

The intimate space puts on an impressive 400 performances a year, with its not-for-profit model making each night accessible for those not wanting to take out a mortgage just to listen to some great music. The bar serves up a great selection of cocktails, which will set you back just under a tenner (and costing only £5 during happy hour).

The venue can also be hired out for meetings, parties and just about everything else.