A mere stone's throw from the Radisson Blu Latvija is The Botanist – a restaurant and cocktail bar focused on health and sustainability, growing some of its ingredients on site. Its green, garden-inspired space provides a luscious setting for jazz concerts, which it hosts on a regular basis.
Five minutes from there is WCMW, which calls itself a “listening bar”. Not only does this trendy bar serve specialty coffee and Japanese whisky, but also live music, running a regular concert program. As the place is founded by specialists in audio tech, you can be sure of the quality acoustics! Also close to the Radisson Blu Latvija is Blues House, a vast subterranean bar and club with a brilliant menu of food, drinks, and sounds. They have space to dance too!
Just a bit further away, Jazz Room Fest events often take place at Rocket Bean Roastery – a third wave coffee shop and roastery on Miera iela, a Riga street often referred to as “bohemian” and a “hipsters' paradise”.
The nearby M/Darbnīca comes highly recommended by DownBeat – the American magazine dedicated to “jazz, blues and beyond”. The ground floor houses a trendy bar open till late at night, while the artsy second floor space gathers emerging and established musicians for jams and performances.
In another part of the city, next to the foodie paradise of Riga Central Market, is the Spīķeri Concert Hall. Every once in a while, the space transforms into the Radio SWH Jazz Club. Each event welcomes different performers, hosted by one of the DJs of the locally popular radio station. Along with enjoying the music, guests get to indulge in light refreshments by a renowned chef.
