Boisdale of Canary Wharf: Pub in Tower Hamlets, London

Boisdale of Canary Wharf is a place for live music you can sit down for. The programme leans towards jazz, soul and R&B, with orchestral nights and weekend lunches that suit a slower start to the day. The lunches show most clearly what the room is for. Soul and jazz fill the afternoon, often with a full band and a tribute act. It is less about pushing to the front and more about a table, a drink and a set you can actually hear. Expect a crowd that knows what it likes. Jazz fans, soul regulars and people catching up with friends tend to arrive early and settle in.