Our Fashion Editor Hannah Tan-Gillies ventured into Fitzrovia to try out the METAXA Summer Spritz Terrace at Ampéli, London’s coolest new Mediterranean restaurant.
Buzzy, bustling Charlotte Street is one of our favourite foodie spots in town to discover new locales and gastronomic surprises. Located in the heart of Fitzrovia, Ampéli is a wonderful Mediterranean bistro that has given us yet another reason to frequent Charlotte Street.
Ampéli offers a curated menu of Greek-inspired dishes, made only with the best locally-sourced ingredients in town.
Inside, Ampéli is atmospheric, inviting and warmly lit. With deep green banquettes and an array of quirky art on the walls, it is the ideal setting for a date night or even a long-awaited post-lockdown meetup with your pals.
We experienced the Summer Spritz terrace, launched in partnership with Greek amber spirit METAXA, which is perfect for a late summer weekday catchup. We started with the glorious and sumptuous Ampéli breadbasket. A smorgasbord of sourdough, lavash and pita, drizzled with delicious Cretan olive oil and partnered with a vegan dip of barrel-aged feta and roasted red pepper. As an aperitif, pair this with the Aegean Spritz, a truly Greek cocktail made with delicious METAXA 12 (a House of Coco favourite), Matisha and 3 Cents Grapefruit soda.
“Finish off with a Samos Negroni, made with METAXA 12, Campari and Martini Rosso and for a moment, you may even forget grey, gloomy London and be transported to a sunny terrace on the Greek Islands.“
This was followed by the exemplary Wild Bass ceviche, which was served with avocado mousse, preserved lemon and Ouzo dressing. The ceviche balanced the delicate textures of wild bass with the zesty flavours of lemon and was a good palate cleanser for the next course, the grilled pork chop.
The pork, paired with Trombetta courgettes and roasted pepper sauce, was cooked to absolute perfection and balanced hearty flavours with unexpected citrus notes. Served with crispy potatoes with citrus mayonnaise and dill, the pork was a danger to my all-white ensemble and to any diet you have been trying to hold onto this summer.
To end your culinary sojourn to the Greek islands, we highly recommend finishing with the Loukoumades, a traditional Greek cinnamon doughnut dish, served with chocolate sauce or Mountain Tea syrup. Finish off with a Samos Negroni, made with METAXA 12, Campari and Martini Rosso and for a moment, you may even forget grey, gloomy London and be transported to a sunny terrace on the Greek Islands.
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