Live music, comforting food, and a relaxed Friday-night atmosphere – that’s what Friday Night Lives at The Broadcaster is all about. Located just a short walk from White City Station in West London, The Broadcaster is hosting Friday Night Lives sessions twice a month throughout October and November.

This series of intimate evenings, presented in collaboration with Stone Mountain Collective, pairs their usual dinner and drinks menu with jazz, neo-soul, and funk tunes throughout the evening.

From 7:30pm, the ground floor fills with the sound of a live band performing familiar crowd-pleasers. The atmosphere is warm and easy-going, with a lively hum that feels just right for the end of the week. And don’t worry: the levels aren’t so loud that you have to shout across the table, especially if you choose a table toward the back.

But as much as the music adds to the mood, let’s be honest: the food is ultimately what we come for.

So, what’s on the menu?

Friday Night Lives offers the same All Day Menu available Monday to Saturday. We started with the humble sourdough bread and not-so-humble truffle butter – a simple but telling test of any kitchen.

Thankfully, the truffle flavour actually came through in the butter. This is a rarity, given how loosely truffle gets thrown around on menus, yet you can barely see its presence on the plate. The bread itself wasn’t really a classic sourdough (less tang, more chew) but it did arrive warm, with that comforting, just-baked aroma,

Next came the figs with blue cheese. Ordering figs in the UK can be a gamble; they rarely match the sweetness of those you’d find in the Mediterranean. These figs were ripe and soft as they could get, and they were beautifully balanced by the sharp saltiness of the cheese. It’s a classic pairing for a reason.

The mains – vegetarian options

For mains, we tried the mushroom and celeriac pie with garlic mash – one of two vegetarian dishes on the menu (the other being a plant-based burger).

The pie arrived as a beautifully golden crown, with crisp, delicate shortcrust pastry that somehow held its own – a feat in itself, considering how much liquid mushrooms tend to release and how often that leads to the infamous soggy bottom.

Inside, a creamy, earthy mix of mushrooms and diced celeriac sat wrapped in the pastry. The flavour was good, though it could’ve done with a touch more salt. Surprisingly, the filling was outshone by the pastry.

The garlic mash deserves its own moment. Silky smooth, buttery, and rich, it was the kind of mash that doesn’t need gravy or garnish. The knife just glided through it like marzipan – dense yet soft and dangerously moreish.

Portions here are notably generous. If you order multiple starters, be warned: you might struggle to finish the main (though you’ll certainly want to try). Everything about the meal was hearty and balanced and comforting – exactly what you want on a chilly November night.

The desserts

And of course, we couldn’t leave without dessert. We ordered the treacle tart with cream and the chocolate pie with berry ice cream. The treacle tart was sticky and nostalgic, incredibly sweet.

The chocolate pie, though, was the standout – a smooth, rich filling topped with a satisfyingly crisp cereal crust that added texture to every bite. The berry ice cream on the side cut through the chocolate’s depth, bringing a burst of freshness that was very much needed and balanced the sharp dark chocolate perfectly.

Even as self-confessed sweet tooths, we were impressed by how measured both desserts were – indulgent, yes, but not overdone. A fitting finale to an evening of warmth, comfort, and proper food done well.

What else is new: The Sunday Feast

If you’re after a relaxed Friday night with relaxed live music, generous portions, and good drinks, this may be your place. And there’s more: to celebrate the chill months in style, you can also book a special Sunday roast. The Sunday Feast, as it is called, is a generous and wholesome roast to have with friends or loved ones.

It’s available every Sunday from 12 pm and the menu includes all the British Sunday roast classics you may expect, from a 12 hour roast pork belly to Dexter beef fillet and a mushroom & beetroot wellington for vegetarians. These mains can come alongside all the trimmings and sides like cauliflower cheese and wild mushroom & bone marrow mash.

Key details:

• Address: The Broadcaster, 89 Wood Ln, London W12 7FX
• Telefone: 020 4549 7420
• Socials: @thebroadcasterlondon
• Opening times: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, from 12 PM to 11 PM, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 12 PM to 11:30 PM, Sunday – 12 PM to 9 PM
• Bookings: Book your Friday Night Lives or Sunday Feast here.

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