The owner of the Spice and Nice bakery has expanded his portfolio with a vibrant bar that captures Camberwell’s melting pot of culture and adds a splash of Caribbean and West Indian flavours.

The Venue
The Amaryllis Bar and Kitchen certainly has big ideas. The large windows framed by dark green exterior walls boldly display the bar’s self-imposed definition as an 'exotic, voluptuous, wanton and totally irresistible venue', a conscious step to set this bar aside from much of its Camberwell-based competition.

The dark exterior walls mellow to a refreshingly vibrant minty lime motif once inside whilst a bespoke brown leather sofa stretches along the wall. The venue is dominated by a large centralised bar, which has been stripped of its original varnish coating giving the whole place a relaxed, lived-in look. The splash-back tiles behind the bar scream of Crayola’s burnt sienna orange, and yet in the right light their uneven texture appears to shimmer with an almost organic piscine sheen. The floor mirrors the bar in that the wooden treads have been sanded back to a clean, organic surface, yet one that speaks of prior use. If the bar is large then the oversized tables and benches are huge. Again, featuring a bold, stripped-bare take on detailing, the tables offer enough space for large crowds whilst adding a communal feel as different groups gather around the same area.

The walls are decorated with specially commissioned murals and canvasses depicting the bar’s floral namesake, as well as prints of Bob Marley and an eye-catching picture of Mohammad Ali meeting the Beatles. Two large flat screen TVs either side of the bar also adorn the walls near a doorway leading to the sheltered beer garden.

The Atmosphere
A relaxed vibe permeates throughout the bar with punters and staff enjoying a chat and sharing a few friendly words. Unfortunately, this willingness to chat can be a downfall when the bar gets busy of an evening and demand increases. The friendly, relaxed atmosphere takes a slightly more intimate turn in the evening as small touches such as candles on the tables create a notable change.

Sport is also a major attraction at the Amaryllis Bar and Kitchen with football taking precedence, although other major sporting events are given a fair shout, too. Music tends to have an RnB flavour and during the day it’s fairly usual to see the TVs tuned to Kiss but as evening descends ‘60s and Motown work their way in with relaxed funk making a significant appearance. Live music is also no stranger here with a live band most Fridays, unsigned acts on Wednesdays and a funkier feel on a Friday with a DJ spinning his tunes.

The Food
Adopting hot dishes from the popular Spice and Nice bakery just down the road has meant that the Amaryllis Bar and Kitchen has a tried and tested selection of lunch and dinner options in keeping with the West Indian theme. Starters of spicy chicken wings and Ackee and saltfish somosas (both £3) lead to traditional mains of curried goat served with rice and peas or basmati, brown stew chicken slow cooked with organic tomatoes and onions or spicy Jerk Chicken (all £7).

Additional lunch deals offer light bites of fried chicken, battered cod or jerk chicken served with chips and salad for £4.50. The cheap meals continue, although the cultural origins differ, with the adoption of the kitchen staff from a local Chinese restaurant. A full menu of dishes are available including the usual classics such as chow mein, satays, black bean, hong kong style and foo young dishes for £3.50.

The Drink
A self-proclaimed haven for rum drinkers, options at the Amaryllis Bar and Kitchen include well known brands from Havana Club, Morgans Spiced and Mount Gay Rum to raspberry flavoured Finzi Rum and Coconut tinged CocoMania. Rum also finds its way into a large range of cocktails including Caribbean Breeze (rum mixed with bananas, pineapple and cranberry juice stirred with lime), Planters Punch (rum, angostura bitters, orange and lime) and Montego Bay Cooler (KoKo Kanu rum, creme de bananas and pineapple juice).

Despite the heavy rum bias, there is also a good range of spirits including Jack Daniels, Smirnoff and Southern Comfort for £2.50. Heineken, Amstel, Kronenbourg, Fosters, Guinness, Stongbow and, the relative rarity, Moretti are also available on tap for £3. Despite the decent range of drinks on tap, the choices don’t dry up below the bar with bottles of Tiger, Budweiser, Dragon Stout and Red Stripe (£2.50-£3) representing a small proportion of the wide range of beer, stouts and ciders on offer.

The Last Word
The Amaryllis Bar and Kitchen is a bit of an enigma in its inclusion of a myriad of influences ranging from the full Chinese menu mixed with Indo-Caribbean options and the contemporary range of beers that juxtapose the epically large range of rums. However, it is the atmosphere that ultimately serves to galvanise these different strands together. What is created is a relatively unique bar free of Central London pretensions or prices.

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