At Record Room, indulge in a unique blend of music, beer, and food

Vinyl and craft beer lovers now have a home in Bengaluru, thanks to the Record Room. This vinyl bar is the brainchild of three passionate entrepreneurs, Nakul Bhonsle, Akshar Halgali, and Karthik Chandrasekaran, who share a love for craft beer and vinyl. 

Located in the old Permit Room, Record Room offers people the opportunity to enjoy a variety of craft beers on tap while experiencing the analogue joys of vinyl.

The moment I step into the space, the first thing I notice is the airy and open feel. The walls are peppered with record labels. There is also a pristine white record player, believed to be once used by The Beatles, and acquired at an auction. 

The space is an amalgam of the founders' backgrounds, with Nakul bringing his love for great brews, Karthik his passion for music, and Akshar his experience of building breweries and his love for food.

The open space has a DIY-styled wooden chandelier, which also doubles up as a display for different vinyl art, and Enzo Mari-inspired tables and chairs. The birch wood panels add to the lightness of the space. 

The idea for Record Room kicked off when Karthik showed Nakul a complete deck and board for a vinyl bar. Akshar had experience in finance and a dream of setting up a food hub on the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway. Karthik, on the other hand, has an insatiable passion for music and has an enviable collection of vinyl records. Naturally, he curates the vinyl programme at Record Room.

Nakul heads brewing at Record Room, from craft beer to artisanal coffee. He curates the craft beer selection, currently from Geist and Toit, and oversees the coffee programme, featuring a selection of artisanal Indian coffees.

Known for his inventive brewing philosophy, he works with local ingredients such as bajra, kokum, and Gondhoraj limes, infusing their flavours into his brews. His company even launched the Millet Beer Project, a unique collaboration between farmers, NGOs, and academia.

Karthik describes himself as vinyl-curious, and the Record Room showcases some of his favourite collections. 

Aware that vinyl was picking up, they wondered how to make a vinyl store an interactive experience without taking away from the fact that they were a bar. They didn't want to have vinyl “just as a gimmick”. Research showed that the surge in vinyl sales was not led by GenX but by millennials.

Vinyl sourcing was a challenge during the two years of the lockdown. The easiest vinyl to access were classic rock and old jazz, but the trio was determined to bring in a variety of genres. The global shift – with every artist now releasing over a thousand copies on vinyl - helped.

"I think a lot of artists are going back to the album format,” Karthik says.

At the Record Room, vinyl enthusiasts can browse through a selection of records, some of which are for sale, while enjoying their craft beer and food. The vinyl selection now covers a wide range of genres, including classic rock, jazz, blues, reggae, and even Indian classical music.

For the connoisseur and the curious

The Record Room is not just a bar, but a unique space that caters to the needs of the connoisseur and the curious. It offers people an opportunity to explore the chance of listening to music on vinyl while enjoying a cold beer and a scrumptious meal. 

Nakul says when they started up, they were overwhelmed by the responsibilities. But they met many people who already had big record collections and were glad to have a place that matched their passions. “And then there were people who were curious and started showing up,” he says. 

“Our collection is not something we built in a month. It's been built over, I would say at least a year or more, some from our personal connections, some stuff that we imported,” Karthik says. 

The brews and music aren’t the only thing going for Record Room. 

“We wanted the food to be different and yet appeal to all palates,” Akshar explains. 

Whether it is the Tandoor Chicken Mille Feuille that has chicken and “a thousand sheets” of potato, the combinations are unique and different. Potato lovers have it good here – try the Hasselback Potatoes, which are served with  different kinds of sauces. The cigar rolls, with a blend of different cheeses and sauces, keeps you asking for more. 

Or, you could opt for the Garlic Bread with Roast Shiitake Mushrooms. The creaminess of the mushrooms and the bite of a perfectly toasted bread is perfect for a light brew. 

The team is now looking to expand but first they want to “capture all of Bengaluru”. 

Disclaimer: This story has been updated to correct the name of a person mentioned in the story.