Kamara is a sultry spot located in the heart of Soho.
It’s Friday night. The rain isn’t pouring, it’s pelting. The post-work crowd is already spilling onto the streets of Soho, and the doormen at Kamara on Poland Street greet us with a warm welcome. We pass the sister restaurant, Brother Marcus, and climb the stairs to the newly opened bar.
Brother Marcus was founded by Tasos Gaitanos and Alex Large. The pair met at school, became friends and then business partners. The East Mediterranean concept is the stuff of #foodie dreams: it began life in 2016 as a pop-up, evolved into a supper club, and eventually became a fully-fledged restaurant. When you enter, it feels like you are part of the family – it draws on Tasos’ Cypriot heritage, and is named after Alex’s younger brother. Today, the restaurant has multiple locations across London, including Soho, Spitalfields and South Kensington.
Kamara now occupies the former home of the Prohibition-inspired bar, Blind Pig. Designed by Finch Studio, it exudes a sultry, speakeasy sensibility. The soundtrack sizzles through R&B classics, although after an hour, we do start to hear the same songs. Upstairs, the dimly lit space features a cave-like ceiling and showcases rugged textures, warm tones, and earthy palettes – not least the pottery sourced from independent artisans in Crete lining the shelves.
Going to a bar solo can feel strange, but the team at Kamara makes me feel at ease. The friendly faces consistently check in, recommend drinks, and create a sense of camaraderie. The team is well-versed in every spirit, many of which are Greek in origin.
The signature cocktails are inventive, with clever twists on classics, from the Kitron Margarita that combines traditional tequila with Greek O/PURIST and wild green gooseberries, to the Yoghurt Cosmo that brings together gin and Greek yoghurt in a refreshingly tangy mix.
For a richer take on a classic, try the Whey Sour. This pleasing pour blends rum with notes of strawberry and raspberry, accented by delicate hints of chamomile and clover. Creamy yet strong, it’s the kind of cocktail you could happily enjoy as a nightcap beside the fire.
The Mahleb Gimlet is a firm favourite – a drink to sip with a smile after a long day at work. The drink combines Axia Mastiha spirit – again from Greece – cardamom leaf, mahleb seeds and woodruff vermouth. Short and silky, it is a flash of sunshine on a rainy day; the liquid equivalent of a summer dress catching the breeze on a Greek island.
Even if you’re not drinking alcohol, there are plenty of pours. The Pear and Aryan verges on dessert rather than a drink. The ingredients include seaward-burnt Concorde pear, salted yoghurt and caramelised white chocolate. Smoky yet sweet, it’s lifted by the velvety tang of yoghurt and finished with nutty, caramelised chocolate.
The food follows a mezze menu inspired by Eastern Mediterranean flavours. Nibbles include plump olives, which we finish fast. Highlights include a generous cheese board, which our hands keep returning to again and again, and fresh dishes from Cod’s Roe Taramasalata with sumac onion to Crispy Calamari served with zhoug aioli, burnt lime and Aleppo chilli. Plus, the warm bread scoops up the dips like a warm hug.
The food does not quite capture the charm of its elder sibling, Brother Marcus, and feels more like an afterthought. The Fried Chicken with muhammara we ordered is left waiting in the wings and never makes it to the table. The main character energy is firmly on the drinks, after all.
When we arrived at Kamara, we were the first guests; by the time we left, the bar was buzzing. Groups celebrated birthdays, couples lingered over date nights, and it felt like we had uncovered a secret spot that we’d like to show off. And, after having dazzling drinks like these, stepping out into the rain didn’t feel so bad.
GO: Visit https://kamarabar.co.uk for more information.