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Resy Presents

The Soundtrack Is the Flavor

With diners having so much access to what food looks like before they step through the doors, elements of surprise, like the playlist, are the exclamation point. The current state of music in restaurants is a lesson on how restaurants move at the speed of culture.

We put together a group of writers and creatives to explore how music is being played in dining spaces. We made sure to show how ragtime, New Orleans big band, and especially gospel music show up in restaurant culture. You'll get our two cents on vinyl records dominating L.A., plus a 101 on piano bars in New York City, and the booming role of hip hop as an ingredient. It's the chefs, their instruments, and the many hands in the kitchen that keep us returning — and a band of vibrant, playful creatives controls the soundtrack.

— Nicole A. Taylor, Project Editor

Illustrations by Ebony Bolt

In Restaurants Today, the Soundtrack Is the Flavor

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Southern National interior

Atlanta

Hip Hop Belongs at the Table — When Understood as an Ingredient

When fine dining misreads Hip Hop, it becomes a vibe without a vocabulary. But in the right hands, it can…

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Thankfully, there are chefs and restaurateurs — many of them steeped in the culture — who understand Hip Hop as an ingredient. They don’t just play the music. They cook with it. — Donovan X. Ramsey

Savannah

The Grey Believes in Full Albums, Jazz, and Ambient Sounds

Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano on vinyl albums, dining room playlists, and more.

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Atlanta

Puma Yu’s Ally Smith Vibes to a Soundtrack of Cocktail Shakers

Ally Smith shares the music that reverberates in her life and behind her bar.

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Philadelphia

Jezabel Careaga Loves Timeless Music and the Jazz of Onions Cooking

The Philly chef on the ways that music and food are best when emotions are involved.

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Chicago

A Holy Ghost Time: Chicago’s Rhythm and Booze

Too often, the narratives and legacies of Black-owned eateries and bars exist tepidly in memory and in oral histories that…

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It was the repast during the brief moments of respite that was a crux for Negro spirituals, work songs, often rooted in bondage and biblical stories that have informed all subsequent genres of American music including Gospel, Blues and Jazz. — L. Kasimu Harris

Los Angeles

Why Listening Bar-Themed Restaurants Are Suddenly Everywhere in L.A.

From Darling to Only the Wild Ones, the Japan-born trend is coming at exactly the right moment for L.A.

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Atlanta

The Resy Guide to Atlanta’s Record Bars and Restaurants with Live Music

Dinner and a show? Yes, please. While Atlanta’s dining scene has always had soul, it’s been turning up the volume…

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New York

The Resy Guide to New York’s Best Bars and Restaurants with Live Music

One of the best things about living in New York City: there’s no shortage of live entertainment. It’s important that…

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New York

Birds Is a Music Bar for Musicians

The team behind Lighthouse and Messy lets the good times roll at this West Village performance space and listening bar.

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Los Angeles

Everything You Need to Know About Grandmaster Recorders

Before you go to a restaurant, what do you want — or need — to know most? In our series,…

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Here, the classic American form of entertainment via dinner and a show still goes strong, with national jazz performers coming through its Philadelphia doors. — Alisha Miranda on South in Philadelphia

San Francisco

The San Francisco Restaurant That Is Rethinking Music and Food

There’s no restaurant (or music program) quite like this in San Francisco.

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Los Angeles

Everything You Need to Know About Darling, Sean Brock’s First L.A. Restaurant

How the famed Southern chef is bringing his version of California cuisine to West Hollywood.

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Where to Pre-Game (and Wind-Down)

Chicago

Where To Eat and Drink Near the United Center

The United Center is home to the Bulls and Blackhawks, and the arena also plays host to some of Chicago’s…

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Atlanta

Where To Eat Near Mercedes-Benz Stadium

For all your pre-gaming or post-event feasting needs.

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New York

Where to Eat Within Walking Distance of Barclays Center

Our list of spots within walking distance of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, perfect for your next concert or game.

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Los Angeles

Where to Eat Near Hollywood Bowl or the Greek Theatre

Our restaurant guide to pre- and post-show eats at two iconic L.A. summer concert institutions.

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Los Angeles

Where To Eat Near Dodger Stadium

15 great food and drink options near the iconic baseball stadium, in Echo Park, Silver Lake, Downtown, and beyond.

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A full spread at SEA

New York

Everywhere You’ll Want to Eat Around New York’s Madison Square Garden

Should you find yourself in Midtown near Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, or Herald Square and in search of a good meal (or drink), we’ve got you covered.

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New York

Where to Eat Around Forest Hills Stadium and Citi Field

With so many incredible options to choose from, we’re here to help you narrow down the choices to find meals to savor before or after the big event.

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New York

The Resy Guide to Bars and Restaurants for Music Lovers in New York

Sometimes, the best soundtrack is the one you don’t notice, but the places on the list aren’t for those kinds of nights.

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