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King’s Cross is firmly a dining destination in its own right. From Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard to the canalside, all a few minutes walk from the station and dotted with restaurants and bars, here are the best restaurants and more in King's Cross.
King's Cross restaurants and cafes
Taking over the old Gilbert Scott space, this sees Allegra chef Patrick Powell in charge of the main restaurant at the St Pancras Renaissance hotel. There's a decadent French menu on offer here (expect lots of rich sauces) in a drop-dead gorgeous room that's also paired with one of the best cocktail bars in the King's Cross area.
Hoppers offers dishes inspired by the street food of Sri Lanka and South India. This Pancras Square venue has the biggest bar of all its venues. We can’t get enough of the hot butter squid and creamy bone marrow varuval.
Sushi on Jones started life as a tiny sushi stand in New York and was immediately showered with praise. The latest in that group is this London restaurant with a mere eight seats serving up an omakase sushi experience on the hour every hour.
At the top of the Standard hotel in King's Cross, Decimo is run by chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias who has two Michelin-starred restaurants in Bristol and features tapas-style food inspired by Mexico and Spain. The views are breathtaking, and you can enjoy pre-dinner drinks at the super glamorous rooftop bar.
The BAO team continue their success with this opening inspired by the western style cafes in Asia. You'll find their signature bao buns alongside inventive western-style dishes like Chicken XO Kiev. As this location is also a bakery, you can take home your very own BAO goodies.
Barrafina are considered as being some of the best Spanish restaurants in London and this Kings Cross outpost is no exception, with a particular focus on Catalan cooking. It's primarily counter dining, but they also have a stunning alfresco-only grill restaurant, Parrillan.
Casa Pastor serves up Mexican classics like slow-cooked pork tacos and tuna tostadas with the outside heated area Plaza Pastor sharing a similar menu, potent cocktails and featuring live music and DJs at the weekend. It’s an excellent party spot in the centre of Coal Drops Yard.
Thisis a contemporary Italian restaurant at The Megaro Hotel where Executive Chef Manuele Bazzoni, previously at Trinity restaurant, and he's put together a menu of modern Italian cuisine using locally sourced produce. Tthe food definitely showcases that there's real talent in the kitchen and make sure to check out the cocktail bar in the basement too.
If you value a menu that cuts straight to the chase, this no-nonsense Japanese canteen is the place serving up three varieties of curry and rice and nothing else.
Formerly Plum + Spilt Milk, this restaurant and bar on the first floor of the Great Northern Hotel has been completely made over. It now combines the best of French and British influences in its menu and the cross-Channel sourced cheese trolley is a must.
Located inside the YMCA yoga centre, Thenga Café is quirky and inviting, offering a purely vegan menu with European and Indian influences due to the chef's travels and Bengali heritage. The daily set meals are one of London's most affordable eats.
Very much doing exactly what it promises, Beer & Burger Store combines a huge range of craft beers with smashed-patty burgers that are among the best in London. Be sure to get some dipping gravy for your burgers too.
They describe themselves as a "rustic French bakery" selling some of the very best French loaves in the King's Cross area. Also, it’s ideal if you need an impressive cake to mark a special occasion and we are addicted to their Croque Monsieur.
A hugely impressive-looking venue, this has a decadent menu by Allegra's Patrick Powell which includes market oysters, sashimi tuna skewers and snacks like fried chicken and cashew hummus. It’s a proper destination restaurant and bar inside St Pancras.
Everyone’s raving about Dim Sum Duck, a tiny gem in Kings Cross. It's run by a dim sum chef with more than 30 years in the business and specialises in hand-made dim sum and in-house roasted duck. Critic Fay Maschler said it was the best Cantonese cooking in London.
This alfresco space is by Two Tribes and is based just outside their King's Cross brewery. Much of it is under permanent cover (along with heaters for the colder months) and it's backed up by impressive BBQ action by From The Ashes.
This all-day restaurant is a Levantine restaurant from the same group as the original London Bridge outpost. Food is consistently delicious, with special cold and hot mezzes, fresh day boat fish, halal steaks and much more.
This relaxed restaurant comes from the team behind Spiritland and offers Neapolitan wood-fired pizza with lots of traditional toppings, Prosecco, and an extremely memorable Nutella pizza to finish off! Downstairs is Supermax, its basement late-night licence cocktail bar.
Roti King has established a huge reputation from a small restaurant in Euston. It's regularly lauded as being one of the best Malaysian restaurants in town and has attracted many to its subterranean location. Certainly expect some of London's best rotis as well as great lentil curries and spicy noodles.
Flat Iron have an avid following amongst Londoners, with their signature flat iron steaks being one of the best deals in town. This is their King's Cross location where they serve up the usual flat-iron steaks as well as some special cuts. And all for a much cheaper price than you'd normally pay at a steakhouse.
Coal Office has eye-popping interiors by Tom Dixon and food by Palomar chef and restaurateur Assaf Granit. If you're up at the counter, it's a scene quite familiar from The Palomar - Jerusalem-inspired food served up by a lively kitchen.
This canalside restaurant on Caledonian Road has a menu full of authentic Chinese dishes that you don't see all that much of outside of Chinatown. Particularly good for groups.
Amazingly popular vegetarian restaurant, serving up all manner of veggie and vegan dishes. Their burgers are very well regarded and the weekend brunch with scrambled tofu and aubergine bacon, among others, is a big hit.
With no bookings and super-fast Roman pizzas, this is a great spot for a quick dinner with friends. The price point is excellent too, with many pizzas all under a tenner. Don’t forget to order dessert.
Wine is what it's all about at Vinoteca, whether you're buying to take away or sitting in with friends, there are loads of options to choose from. The food's good too, with a range of small and big plate options - The Neal’s Yard cheese croquettes with aioli are always good.
This brightly coloured restaurant serves up some of the most delicious and authentic Thai food in London at great prices. Try Phuket cashew nuts or Southern specialities like Pla Tod Naam Pla – crispy seabass with sugar, fish sauce and green apple salad.
Granary Square Brasserie is Caprice Holdings big King's Cross space. Food-wise, think of this as similar to one of their Ivy Cafes - so mid-range brasserie dishes in an opulent setting.
This used to be the first-ever gym in London - a huge imposing building just outside St Pancras. Expect plenty of German food, humongous sausages and Bavarian beer on the menu. It's brasserie-style downstairs and more of a fine-dining approach upstairs.
We often daydream about the bacon and egg breakfast naan at Dishoom. Consistently packed and offering a buzzy atmosphere, people keep coming back for its excellent Indian small plates. Its take on Bombay cafe culture ensures long waits and queues at all their restaurants. Be prepared to queue at busier times.
The original opened up in Exmouth Market to great reviews and they haven't looked back since. Now in multiple locations across town, this was Caravan's second opening, and one of the first places to open on Granary Square. Coffee remains a big thing, supplied by their nearby roastery. Food-wise, they serve what they call a "food well-travelled" menu all-day and their brunch is one of the most popular in town.
This King's Place restaurant is in a super setting especially during the summer months with a massive terrace opening onto the canal. The menu is modern British, and you'll find all the meat here sourced from the restaurant's own farm in Northumberland.
Bars
Gas Station has taken over a prominent corner of King's Cross right next to the canal, offering an alfresco drinking and dining space complete with heaters and a moreish seafood menu of oysters and lobster rolls.
This impressive arts venue, a sibling establishment to The Bridge Theatre, features a cafe and bar run by St John that’s open to all. Enjoy freshly made madeleines and top wines in its modernist setting.
Idris Elba has his very own wine bar in Coal Drops Yard. Wine tasting is available plus a well-thought-out selection of champagne, cocktails and wines by the glass. It’s a sophisticated spot and you never know which A-lister you might bump into!
From the same people as Casa Pastor, this really makes good use of the old coal storage area to evoke the feeling of a wine cellar. The wine list is, obviously, one of the best in the area served expertly by people who know their stuff.
This has a great location, overlooking the canal. It's said to be one of the most popular places on Granary Square at any time of the year - but it really comes into its own in summer with extensive outside space. Dogs are welcome too.
Parcel Yard is an all-day Fullers pub inside the station, with a seasonal menu inspired by the best of British. Think dishes like lamb’s liver with bubble & squeak and red wine gravy and they also have a great kids menu. It's perfect for a quick drink before you grab a train.
Restaurateur and chef Anthony Demetre (of Wild Honey) has brought his vision of a Spanish/Italian Vermuteria to Coal Drops Yard. As the name suggests, there are plenty of vermouth and negronis on the drinks list along with a seasonal tapas-style menu.
Markets and shops
Real Food Market
In front of King’s Cross station itself, you’ll find this collection of food stalls featuring fresh bread, brownies, doughnuts, cannolis, custard tarts, bhajis and even haggis.
Granary Square street food
You’ll often find food trucks and pop-ups at Granary Square during the week - so if you’re after something different for lunch, head up there.
Sourced
Inside the station, Sourced is well worth a visit for some last-minute provisions, snacks and sandwiches (and some excellent coffee).
Longboys
In Coal Drops Yard, this small batch bakery sells to-die-for long doughnuts to go.
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