French-Lebanese restaurant Toum opens Encore listening bar for cocktails and curated music

French-Lebanese rotisserie restaurant Toum, in Mayfair, has announced the launch of its new subterranean listening bar, Encore. The venue officially opened its doors on last week and will operate Thursday through Saturday evenings, offering a curated musical experience with a bespoke cocktails and snacks, aiming to appeal to both music enthusiasts and food lovers.

The programme centres around Arabic disco, Habibi funk, French new wave, bossa nova, jazz and blues. The space is equipped with a pair of refurbished 1980s Tannoy Little Gold Monitor speakers, connected to an Icon valve amplifier, designed to enhance the warmth and clarity of vinyl playback. In addition, the bar’s interior features wooden wall panels, carpeted floors and an acoustic ceiling, all intended to optimise the listening environment by reducing echo and focusing sound.

The drinks menu has been developed by award-winning mixologist Jad Ballout and includes several distinctive offerings, among them the Open Sesame (Bulleit bourbon, sesame, honey and smoke), the Artichoke Sour (Bombay gin, artichoke amaro, Topinambur, lemon and sugar), the Truffle Whiskey Sour (Bulleit bourbon, truffle honey, rosemary and lemon) and the Foret Noire (Cognac-washed butter, raspberry and Nutella foam, served with a spoon). The bar also serves Noam, a natural, unfiltered lager.

Food options include cheese madeleines with sour cream and optional Petrossian Oscietra caviar, steak tartare with brioche, pommes allumettes and cured egg yolk, and a buttermilk fried chicken dish that can also be served with caviar.

Encore was founded by Tarek Farah, who operates Toum and its sister restaurant Aline, also located in Mayfair. According to the team behind the venue, the aim is to offer a hybrid space where guests can enjoy high-quality food and drink alongside a carefully curated musical backdrop.

Food Desk

For further information or to book a table at Encore, 18a Maddox Street, London W1S 1PL, visit the bar’s Instagram here or Toum’s website here.