The Eighth: Cocktail-Driven Restaurant Meets Design and Ritual
The goal of The Eighth is not to recreate or reference any historical place or idea, but to draw from the absence of history and memory.
Photography by Mack Minaya
There are seven days in a week…and then there’s The Eighth. Chelsea’s newest cocktail-driven restaurant gave us an immediate sense of comfort and intimacy. The dark, ambient space featured snake light fixtures, a dimly backlit stone bar, and contemporary artwork throughout.
The goal of The Eighth is not to recreate or reference any historical place or idea, but to draw from the absence of history and memory. Each cocktail, which pairs well with dishes, features spices reminiscent of potions made through rituals. The menu includes bitter, smoky, floral, and sweet drinks with elevated classic bites, such as salad, tartare, crisp chili cucumbers, shishito peppers, curly fries, sesame jerk chicken wings, a burger, and more.
The space within The Eighth evokes a nostalgia yet to be experienced. The dark, intimate tones of red, purple, blue, and orange exhibit a retro feel that has landed in the future. The serpent and moth motifs throughout the light fixtures, photo art, and custom bathroom wallpaper gives a haunting yet warm embrace that complements the overarching theme of The Eighth.
“The symbols aren’t decorative—they’re directional, Valmira Gashi says. “They guide how you move, where you’re drawn, and how you feel within the space.”
Photography by Mack Minaya
The Eighth’s logo is intended to resemble an hourglass, symbolizing time, ritual, and awareness, and the loss of all of them. The inevitability of time and repetition makes the cocktail-driven restaurant timeless rather than trendy, like many restaurants and bars. Many places want you to open your phones and grab content—The Eighth wants you to be present in the moment.
The design behind The Eighth is Julien Legeard and Valmira Gashi of Legeard Studio in collaboration with Marketing and Brand Advisory Partner Richie Romero. Mixologist Evelyn Atheris prioritizes a sense of transcendence and immersion as one sips every drink. Chef Kat Williams creates an intentional experience in which food and drinks complement one another, drawing on his Jamaican roots.
“The bar itself is designed as an altar,” Gashi says. “It’s the emotional and visual center of the room, where ritual happens, the cocktail experience being the premiere ritual.”
Our favorite bites off the menu were the scallop crudo, golden toast, crisp chili cucumbers, curly fries, jerk wings, and the chocolate mousse cake. To drink, we recommend The Antidote and the Aztec Sun for contrasting yet refreshing floral, peppery, and smoky notes.
“This place isn’t chasing what’s next,” Romero says. “It’s meant to feel slightly out of time—as you found it, not like it opened—and that’s a credit to Julien and Valmira’s vision for the room.”
The Eighth is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5pm to 12am, and Friday to Saturday from 5pm to 2am at 132 7th Ave., New York.
