Root Down takes its name from Jimmy Smith’s 1972 live album, a useful starting point for a bar shaped by jazz and funk records. Founder Gary Wang, also known as DJ VNutz and formerly of The Shelter and The Grumpy Pig, drew on his years in Japan to create this listening lounge on Nanchang Road.
The former antique shop has a long, narrow interior, a sloping ceiling and a wooden bar along one side. Records occupy the rear, with large vintage Tannoy speakers flanking the DJ booth. The room has the scale of a small cocktail bar, where you can settle in close to the music and still talk comfortably.
Guest selectors have included DJs from Beijing’s fRUITY Shop, adding another connection to China’s record community. Cocktails are a substantial part of the evening, with highballs and classics alongside house creations. Root Down suits a slow drink at the bar, particularly if you enjoy following someone else’s selection and leaving enough space in the conversation to hear it.