Amano Cafe is a solid South Bank option. Serving pasta, pizza and an enticing range of cocktails, it’s a reliable meeting place for both daytime and evening meals.

The Venue
Located on Clink Street, this informal eatery is minutes from Tate Modern and Borough Market. The wide angle windows are great for people watching and give the restaurant plenty of natural light, even with the historical market buildings that tower around it. The decor is quite conventional – bold colours, nondescript urban prints on the wall and the ubiquitous leather sofas – but it’s tastefully done. Pick your seat wisely though, as some of them are as comfortable as a chair from an NHS waiting room.

The Atmosphere
Most of the weekend clientele are happily exhausted shoppers, taking a break from the bustle of the South Bank. Weekdays are quieter, whilst the extra large cappuccinos entice in the office worker or single customer reading a book. The music is a little too loud for a weekday evening and diners find themselves talking loudly to be heard over the beat of generic lounge dance music – not really what you need after a busy day at work. That said the cafe is still busy, subtly lit with candles, and has a sociable atmosphere. Service is good, and although there are sometimes unexplained waits for food, the staff are friendly and responsive.

The Food
The vegetarian antipasto mixed platter (£8.35) is a spread of sundried tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, zesty grilled courgettes, aubergines, and artichoke and a more-ish pesto cheese dip, served on a rustic wooden board. Great for sharing, although some of the vegetables are too cold to fully appreciate the chargrilled flavour. A meat option is also available for £8.65.

For mains, it’s best to go for one of their stone baked pizzas for main course. They do have pasta options, and although the carbonara (£6.95) is a good sized portion with plenty of pancetta, the sauce is overly creamy and leaves a floury after taste. The pizzas, on the other hand, are enormous and satisfying. The crust is thin with the perfect amount of crunch. They’re made with 00 flour, as recommended by any self-respecting pizza artiste. The affumicata pizza (£8.85) is liberally scattered with chunky chicken breast pieces, which are sweetened by the soft, honeyed caramelised onions. The Olympian (£7.45) has a similar sweetness from the caramelised peppers, but this works even better with tart feta cheese, black Kalamata olives, red onions, wilted spinach and fresh oregano.

Desserts are best to share – after the mozzarella indulgence of the pizza, the desserts are too creamy for one person to manage. The tiramisu (£3.95) is food coma-inducing rather than a ‘pick me up’ – although there is plenty of Italian coffee and Amaretto, a thick layer of whipped mascarpone is the dominant ingredient. The warm chocolate brownie (£3.95) is the best dessert; warm, fudgy and soaked in a rich chocolate sauce, served with good quality vanilla ice cream.

The Drink
Wines range from £13 to £19, with most of them available by the glass. The merlot is full bodied, served at the perfect temperature, with overtones of winter fruits that complements both pasta and pizza. The cafe covers pretty much any kind of drink you could want morning, afternoon or evening, including fresh fruit smoothies, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry milkshakes, fresh fruit juice, fizzy drinks and a list of cocktails. Amano also make an excellent espresso – small on size, big on flavour – however the cappuccino is about the same gargantuan size as the pizzas and a little overwhelming after a meal.

The Last Word
Amano has something for everyone before, during or after work. It’s good for hearty breakfasts or informal lunch meetings during the day, and works as an upbeat restaurant at night. With good food and a low-key atmosphere, it’s a safe bet on the South Bank.

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