The cocktails to try at Chiave, Shoreditch’s new music-led bar

We know our fair share about cocktails. It’s like how Carrie Bradshaw said: “Men I may not know, but shoes… Shoes I know.” We’re the same but with cocktails. And going out. And working out which places are a victim of social media over-hyping and which genuinely are hidden gems.

Enter Chiave, a new Italian-inspired cocktail bar where - in their words - “mixology and music come together”. It’s all about good music and good drinks. Sounds pretty nice, right?

Where is it?

Unlike most of our Guestlist series, which seems to have shown the best of the West End and our favourite Soho spots, Chiave is located on Redchurch St. in Shoreditch - a five minute walk from Shoreditch High Street overground.

What's special?

Chiave - meaning “key” in Italian - is sort of like the Jekyll and Hyde of cocktail bars; on the top is an intimate, if classic-looking, well-mannered cocktail bar. Downstairs, you’ll find a small music space - a much edgier, almost speakeasy-esque mini-club. It has a DJ booth, a small dance space and some seriously impressive speakers (custom-made Arda Audio speakers, we later found out).

Also, the mocktail options on the menu are really impressive. A lot of the time, when you head to a bar, you’ll see a garish MOCKTAIL section squirrelled away at the back of the menu, only to find out they only do a virgin pina colada, and a no-jito. Inspired. At Chiave, all the cocktails with a discreet and chic key symbol can be made alcohol-free.

As someone who has done periods of going alcohol free (but is still frequently out for drinks), this was a welcome and refreshing menu twist. Also, as Chiave’s cocktails are unusual, it meant the alcohol-free versions weren’t anything we’d had before.

What's new?

Chiave itself is fairly new on the scene, only opening up in early 2025, so it’s relatively unknown in its entirety - which is practically unheard of in Shoreditch.

Who should you bring?

Maybe we’re biased because it would make a great date spot, but for us, it's one for your mates. Specifically, your under-35 mates who want to have that achingly cool but relaxed night out that everyone goes to (or moves to) East London in search of.

What should you wear?

Again, it’s Shoreditch, so you could turn up in an adult nappy and a Doc Martens and you’d still fit in.

In all seriousness, Chiave has a range of vibes depending on which day and what time you check it out. It was one of the first proper hot days of the year when we went to visit, so we were in the classic ‘first-hot-office-day-of-the-year’ clothes when everyone’s still excited to get out their clothes they haven’t worn in a year and have forgotten the nightmare that is dressing somewhat appropriately in summer.

As it’s more than just a bar, you can definitely dress it up a bit if you’re heading there to start (or end) your night.

What are prices like?

Look, in a trendy part of London, are you ever going to find a bespoke cocktail in a lovely setting for less than the £12 mark? The cheapest cocktail on the menu luckily does come in at £12, with their most expensive not much further away at £15.

What's available?

Where do we start? The cocktails are some of the best we’ve had. They’re all a bit unusual, hitting that perfect mark of intriguing without making you roll your eyes as you read the words ‘umami’ or ‘miso’ or ‘served upside down with strobe lighting so not suitable for epileptics’.

The signature drinks were all light twists on the classics - like the Street Spirit, which is a twist on a Moscow Mule made with Salted Caramel Vodka.

The un-missables

100% you cannot go to Chiave without trying the Limbo cocktail. If you often order a marg (spicy or not), then we implore you to try it; it’s an adaptation of a Tommy’s Margarita, with a mix of Mezcal and Tequila, mixing it with chilli liqueur and a sumac rim (instead of the usual tajin). This might just have taken the top spot for the best cocktail I’ve had in my life so far.

Also, the Doomsday cocktail holds a special place in our hearts - if you like a gin-based cocktail that's fresh and light, a bit like a classic English Garden, then this will be a good one for you.

What to skip

We’d personally skip the bar snacks. If you’re absolutely starving or you want to look sophisticated whilst waiting for a date by ordering olives (because that obviously automatically makes you a grown-up), then go for it, but we’d give it a miss, and focus on the drinks instead.

The verdict

We’re not going to go all Instagram influencer on you and tell you that it’s a hidden gem you have to check out. What we would say is that it’s a great new spot, and if you’re into your cocktails or want to know a cool, slightly under-the-radar spot to have in your back pocket, then this is definitely one to keep in mind.

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