Tucked beneath the Victorian cellar arches of The Ampersand Hotel, Apero brings a shot of fresh Mediterranean style to the heart of South Kensington.
Softly lit, with cool white metro tiles and exposed brick walls, Apero is an intimate, laidback restaurant in Kensington where you can catch up over a shared plate of something deliciously simple and modern. The buzzy bar at Apero, which is tended by staff with a real passion for what they serve, is an understated but glamorous spot to get into the ‘aperitivo' spirit with a signature cocktail or glass of wine before sitting down for dinner.
Apero
Mediterranean Restaurant in Chelsea
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7 / 10 from 1 review
Address
Ampersand Hotel
10 Harrington Road
Chelsea
London
SW7 3ER
Ampersand Hotel
10 Harrington Road
Chelsea
London
SW7 3ER
Telephone
020 7589 5895
020 7589 5895
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Region
Chelsea
Chelsea
Opening Summary
Breakfast:
6.30am to 10.30am Monday to Friday, 7am to 11am Saturday and Sunday
Lunch & Dinner:
Midday to 2.30pm Monday to Friday, 6pm to 10.30pm Monday to Sunday
Brunch:
Midday to 2.30pm Saturday and Sunday
Bar Menu:
Midday to Midnight
Breakfast:
6.30am to 10.30am Monday to Friday, 7am to 11am Saturday and Sunday
Lunch & Dinner:
Midday to 2.30pm Monday to Friday, 6pm to 10.30pm Monday to Sunday
Brunch:
Midday to 2.30pm Saturday and Sunday
Bar Menu:
Midday to Midnight
Apero Picture Gallery
All In London Review
Expect good food in ample quantities, a lively atmosphere and weird and wonderful cocktails
The shared menu at £30 (vegetarian, £26) sounded good when listed by the waitress – the kitchen regularly changes its contents so they don’t appear on the menu -- and expectations were raised by the early arrival of a seaweed-inflected wholemeal bread and a tomato bread (both on the à la carte menu at £3.50 each). This set the tone for the Mediterranean-style food that followed, starting with stracciatella and carrot: an Italian soft cheese originating in the Puglia region, mixed with cream and strands of carrot. It was easy to eat and not at all heavy. By now, other punters were arriving to take their seats and a quietly convivial atmosphere, encouraged by the lively but not loud music, was evolving. A plate of asparagus risotto and then one bearing a ricotta and beetroot concoction arrived at our table. It was a colourful affair, with the bright green asparagus alongside the cleanly white ricotta and rich purple of the beetroot. The following piece of information is not strictly relevant but you may wish to know that the chef, Chris Golding, apparently has a thing about beetroot and has one tattooed on his shoulder. Arriving after a suitably timed interval was the main dish of yellow fin tuna with avocado, a combination that worked well especially with the shiso adding a faint fragrance of anise.
Despite having scoffed all the bread and devoured everything brought to the table, there was room for a light dessert and it came perfectly dressed: pistachio cake topped with strawberry mousse and whipped cream -- plus a smile on the plate formed by custardy mango.
You would have to be in a very cranky mood to eat at Apero and leave feeling disgruntled, unless you’d donned a dinner jacket, expected an elaborate arrangement of cutlery and glasses on the table and distain the very idea of sharing plates. Apero’s easygoing food, tiny marble topped tables and banquette seating create a dining experience that isn’t overwrought or pretentious. Expect good food in ample quantities, a lively but not overpowering atmosphere and some weird and wonderful cocktails.
Reviewed by Sean Sheehan
on Jun 30, 2014
Published on Jun 30, 2014
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