Designed by Finch Studio, Kamara is a new high-end cocktail bar on Poland Street that brings an architectural focus to Brother Marcus founders Tasos Gaitanos and Alex Large’s first foray into the bar scene. Set within the former home of The Blind Pig in Soho, the 83-cover space places materiality, process and atmosphere at the forefront, drawing from the visual and cultural language of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Finch Studio’s scheme is defined by warm, earthy palettes, bronze detailing and a strong presence of Cretan pottery sourced from independent artisans. These hand-thrown vessels are integral to the concept, used in the bar’s maceration and ageing processes, allowing material choice to directly influence flavour. A cave-like ceiling introduces a sense of enclosure and drama, while hi-spec finishes throughout balance refinement with a grounded, elemental character.
The interior provides a setting for a cocktail programme developed in collaboration with Angelos Bafas (Kioku Sake Bar, Nipperkin, Soma), alongside co-founders Tas and Alex. Drinks are built around in-house macerated spirits and homemade ferments, informed by Greek heritage and broader Eastern Mediterranean traditions.
Signature serves include the Tuvunu Highball, combining Kamara fig brandy, Metaxa 12*, Greek mountain tea and fermented figs in honey; the Coffee and Honey Old Fashioned with Michter’s bourbon, Cretan aged eau de vie and Exmoor honey; and the Smoked Pepper Daisy, blending mezcal, tsipouro, boukovo and a hay-smoked tomato spirit. The Mahleb gimlet, made with mastiha and tsipouro macerated with Essex-grown cardamom leaf, captures the bar’s ethos in a single glass. A focused wine list highlights producers from Greece and Lebanon.
Food mirrors the drinks philosophy through a concise mezze menu. Dishes include cod’s roe taramasalata with sumac onion, crispy calamari with zhoug aioli and burnt lime, Greek feta sausage with aubergine bayildi and labneh, and fried chicken served with muhammara and Greek graviera. Ingredient provenance is central, with wild produce supplied by UK-based foraging collective Wild Room.
Since launching Brother Marcus in 2016, Gaitanos and Large have become known for their relaxed, generous approach to East Mediterranean dining. With Kamara, framed by Finch Studio’s design-led vision, that sensibility is translated into an atmospheric Soho bar rooted in fermentation, foraging, and Eastern Mediterranean flavour.
Photography, courtesy Kamara Cocktail Bar Soho.
