Kave

Tucked away underground and accessible only through an unmarked door in the Drunch restaurant, Kave is a real speakeasy. Complete with moody red lighting, theatrical cocktails and DJ decks on rotation, it's a space set for a night of dancing.

It's Friday night and, by midnight, Kave is buzzing. The DJ is in full flow, the room is on its feet, and another round of drinks is making its way around the tables. Just a few hours earlier, the same space was humming with chatter, small plates taking over every table as diners took in the historic setting and eclectic, globally inspired interiors. Pass through the unmarked door on Great Titchfield Street and you're met with striking, raw 200-year-old features, vaulted ceilings and contemporary design. It's part speakeasy, part cabinet of curiosities.

Kave knows how to turn up the energy without you even noticing the shift in gear. Dinner starts casually, with modern European dishes and sharing plates. Think classics like chicken schnitzel, quinoa salad, chilli tiger prawns, and truffle fries, the kind of food that keeps you fuelled without weighing you down when the dance floor summons you.

Then there are the drinks. The signature list is compact but creative, with slick serves including the likes of smoky, Scotch-fuelled bonfires and rum-and-caramel Escobars. There's even a cocktail dedicated to the space's former resident, Kef, a Burmese python, combining bergamot liqueur, gin, aloe vera, and citrus.

As dinner winds down, the music gets louder, the cocktails keep coming, and the state-of-the-art sound system takes over. Before long, chairs are pushed back and the dance floor fills up. Kave knows the trick: start with dinner, stay for the drinks and, before you know it, you're dancing your way into the night in Fitzrovia.