AJ Records will open at 8 Hanway Place in Fitzrovia in 2027.
The concept combines southern French dining, cocktails, live performances and a recording studio.
French rapper and producer Dinos has joined as music director and shareholder.
The ambitious new venue will combine southern French dining, cocktails, live performances and a recording studio in the former Hakkasan Hanway Place space.
London’s dining scene is turning up the volume. AJ Records, a new restaurant, bar and music concept, is preparing to open in Fitzrovia, taking over the former Hakkasan Hanway Place site at 8 Hanway Place.
Described as London’s first “Urban Culture Dining Club”, AJ Records aims to blur the boundaries between restaurants, nightlife and the music industry. The concept comes from French theatre actress and creative Josephine Garreau and Alexandre Santamaria, a former Hakkasan Group director and founder of AWARE Hospitality. French rapper, lyricist and producer Dinos has joined the project as music director and shareholder.
Food will sit at the heart of AJ Records, drawing inspiration from the flavours and hospitality culture of southern France. The 160-cover dining room will offer table service alongside à la carte plates and sharing dishes, with premium cuts from the grill and seafood platters among the planned highlights. A dessert trolley will add an old-school flourish to proceedings.
The expansive venue will also feature an open kitchen, a 12-seat chef’s table, a dedicated cocktail bar, elevated booths, a performance stage and a private artist lounge. Further details about the chef, culinary team and complete menu will be revealed closer to opening.
Music, however, is what sets AJ Records apart. Early evenings will begin with acoustic performances accompanying dinner between 5pm and 8pm. As the evening progresses, the volume and atmosphere will increase, with Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays shifting towards a late-night party dining format. The venue has secured a 3am licence, while the kitchen plans to remain open until midnight.
AJ Records will also house a recording studio and plans to support emerging musicians, performers and creatives through free studio access, paid performance opportunities and connections with the wider music industry. Spoken word and slam poetry will also feature in the programming.
Part restaurant, part club, part performance space and part studio, AJ Records is shaping up to be one of London’s more unusual hospitality arrivals when it opens in 2027.
Where: AJ Records, 8 Hanway Place, London, W1T 1HD.
When: Opening Spring 2027
Contact: @ajrecords_london