An independent jazz cafe which turns on the style in the city’s party street.

The Venue
Cafe Jazz is owned by the same family who own the Sandringham Hotel above the venue and is managed by the friendly, jazz-loving French lady Mireille Meunier. It’s roughly divided in half into the bar at the front and the restaurant at the back.

A grand piano and DJ booth sit on a raised area to the side ready for action and there's loads of cubist jazz-age art dotted over the walls. This all comes to life with their jam sessions on Monday and live jazz on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and blues on Fridays. There’s normally a charge to get in although it ranges from £2 to £8, and sometimes it’s free, and it's free if you’re eating.

The People
Ages range from 18 to 80 here and it depends on the night as sometimes they hold a trad jazz evening. Students turn out for the Monday jam sessions which, as you'd expect, is very mingle, mingle. A late-night crowd gather on Friday and Saturday when it’s open till 1am.

The Food and Drink
You can order from the restaurant menu and eat in the bar area but don't do this. It gets busy and a little too cramped for spreading elbows. Starters are around the £5.75 mark with pan-fried king scallops in saffron scented butter and salads for around £5.25. Mains include the roasted duck breast for £12.15. There's also a set menu for £9.50 for two courses or £11.50 for three.

On draught they’ve got Foster’s, Brain’s SA, Gold, Reverend James, Strongbow, Stella and Carling, plus Budweiser, Corona, Bulmer’s, Beck’s, Stella, Carlsberg in bottles. The small bar isn’t designed for cocktails.

The Last Word
If you don't like jazz come here anyway as it hosts some excellent musicians and hearing it live in such an intimate setting just feels cool.