Amaro is an intimate Kensington neighbourhood cocktail bar with a 12-seat black-granite counter and the polished service of a much larger hotel bar. The small room specialises in inventive, precisely executed riffs on classics, vintage spirits and a short list of cheese, charcuterie and plates, while retaining a relaxed regulars' atmosphere.
Description source · Checked 2026-09-09
Plan Your Visit
15 Kensington High Street, London W8 5NP, UKKensington
- Style
- Polished neighbourhood cocktail barChecked 2026-09-09 · Source
- Hours
- Monday 18:00–23:30; Tuesday–Saturday 18:00–00:30; Sunday 17:00–00:00.Checked 2026-09-09 · Source
- Booking
- A small number of tables can be reserved through SevenRooms, while the bar always holds some space for walk-ins.Checked 2026-09-09 · Source
- Menu
- Modern interpretations of classic favourites, vintage-spirit classics and small plates. The owned menu link is currently broken, so use the venue page for the programme and check the bar for the live list.Checked 2026-09-09 · Source
Hours and menus can change. Check the venue’s latest details before visiting.
The score & its evidence
Seven signals. One score.
44.2 / 100
The composite combines the seven weighted signals and the published adjustments. The chart shows each signal before weighting.
Read the full calculation- Guest ratings
- 81.4
- World's 50 Best
- 7.4
- Top 500 Bars
- 42.4
- Spirited Awards
- —None found · Checked; no qualifying signal found; contributes zero
- Regional Recognition
- 94.5
- Serious press
- 14.7
- Social Vibes
- 64.4
Guest-shift adjustment · −15%
Our annual audit records 8 hosted guest-shift dates. The published rule reduces the composite above seven dates to favor a consistent core bar experience.
Weights: Guest ratings 23% · World's 50 Best 12% · Top 500 Bars 10% · Spirited 12% · Regional Recognition 18% · Press 10% · Social Vibes 15%
Missing evidence, confirmed none and evidence outside a scoring window each contribute zero. We do not redistribute their fixed weight to other signals.
Social Vibes
Score read updated:
Sentiment score
92/ 100
Score context
Intimate Kensington cocktail bar by ex-Savoy mixologist Elon Soddu. Guests consistently praise creative twists on classics, excellent service from knowledgeable staff, vintage spirits, and elegant intimate atmosphere. Minor notes on price and small size.
Guest score details
What guests like
- creative classic twists
- knowledgeable friendly staff
- intimate elegant vibe
- vintage spirits selection
What to know
- pricey
- small capacity
Source excerpt
“The drinks were incredibly creative and delicious. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly.”
Source: tripadvisor.com (linked below)
Review & discussion links
Editorial context
Editorial review checked:
Guest reviews · 2025–2026
Visitors praise carefully made cocktails, an intimate room and hospitable staff. One January 2026 guest found the late-night welcome off-putting, though they still rated the drinks highly.
This editorial note is independent of the score and does not change it.
Editorial sources
- wanderlog.comReviewed
Named customer reviews shown on Wanderlog were dated 24 August 2025–13 February 2026. The page displayed a Google-attributed 4.9/5 from 320 reviews at that check; this historical aggregate is separate from the dated Crowd signal.
Crowd signal
Google 4.9★ across 334 reviews.
View on Google · Checked . Ratings and review counts can change.
Awards
Results from the three global systems scored separately in our formula.
World’s 50 Best
Top 500 Bars
Regional Recognition
Regional and national lists, local awards and bartender peer picks considered for this room's Regional Recognition score. The strongest result from each program and year scores; assessed guides use the latest accepted dated status once.
UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars
The Bartender's Edit
Peer recommendations from working bartenders. All editions are shown for context; only the strongest placement after recency decay contributes to the score.