3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out Dubai
Chanca by Coya in Dubai
Before Chanca by COYA was Chanca by COYA, it lived many lives.
First, it was the intimate dining room of COYA at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, before morphing into a private members' club where Dubai's wealthy residents enjoyed exclusive benefits, from Cuban rolls and special dishes to premium grape selection and total privacy.
Today, Chanca is what COYA likes to call a dedicated music room. Offering up a daily line-up of guest and resident DJs, live events, and parties with premium bottle service and creative mixed drinks is what today's edition does best.
As for the vibe? That depends solely on the day of the week you visit. Go on a Saturday night, and you'll get a cooler-than-cool DJ spinning popular TikTok-trending R&B tracks and a crowd of twenty-something Gen Z-ers wearing revived '90s fashion and comfortable white sneakers.
(Credit: Chanca by Coya)
And if you consider yourself 'too old for this', then Thursday nights would be more your thing with a laid-back yet very grown-up evening brunch offering up a sophisticated menu of tasty Peruvian food.
It's a relatively small space that's enveloped by a golden glow. Deep red velvet banquettes line the walls, surrounding polished marble-topped tables, creating cosy pockets perfect for conversation or bottle service. The design plays heavily with texture. Think mirrored mosaics, intricate lattice screens and layered metallic finishes. It's glamorous without being ostentatious, creating an atmosphere that feels stylish.
Chanca offers its own menu of Peruvian bites, different to those offered in the COYA restaurant, including a wagyu maki roll and sweet potato croquettes covered in grated manchego, sitting on a tamarind sauce and plenty of sushi. But let's be real…you'll be too busy dancing to worry about your stomach.
(Credit: Chanca by Coya)
Service is attentive, while drinks are innovative and well-priced for the location, hovering between the Dhs60 to Dhs75 mark. And there's even a dedicated Peruvian mixed drinks menu featuring unique ingredients like rhubarb, cacao and kaffir lime.
The ambience feels both curated and cool, but it's not without its occasional crowded nights. When the music is good and the vibe is right, Chanca reminds you why it's still one of Dubai's favourite speakeasies.
While it may have evolved from its secretive beginnings, it hasn't lost its sense of exclusivity – it's just been made a little more accessible. Its latest chapter is one of its most exciting ones yet – and one that delivers with style.
