King's Cross, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

At the foot of the King’s Place arts centre – a “lovely space overlooking water” with a glorious canal-side terrace – Green & Fortune’s stylish venue offers a “good selection of small plates and excellent, if pricey, beef and lamb” from its own farm in Northumberland. “The pre-concert set menu is super value, but best of all is the Sunday roast lunch”.

2021 Review: For the “mind-blowing sound system”, or as “a great place to grab a drink and a bite with your mates”, this “groovy”, music-led four-year-old, near Granary Square has won quite a following. (It was founded by music consultant Paul Noble, who has worked with Monocle and the Beeb; and Canteen founders Patrick Clayton-Malone and Dominic Lake). “The new, handy Festival Hall branch has the same vibe as the King’s Cross original, and here they offer really well-prepared cooking to match the cool sounds, laid-back atmosphere and enthusiastic service... it deserves to thrive.”

“Eating outside overlooking the square is extremely pleasant” at this “large brasserie”, which is particularly well-located in the new developments north of King’s Cross; and wins praise for its “great buzzy atmosphere”. But it suffers from the Ivy Collection’s habitual weakness of “disappointing and unimaginative food – all the classics not done that well”.

Overlooking the canal at Granary Square behind King’s Cross station, this striking modern gastropub certainly looks the part and packs in the crowds. It avoids harsh critiques, but feedback generally makes it clear that “the location is better than the dining experience”.

“The most original brunches” – with “a good selection of super-tasty, tapas-style dishes” fusing eclectic flavours from the Middle East to the Pacific – are the top feature of these “nicely vibey” haunts, which also boast “great coffee and pastries, plus interesting non-alcoholic drinks (like sodas and kombuchas)”. And they serve “lots for vegans and veggies too”. On the downside, they become “noisy”; staff can be “overstretched” and ratings are dragged down by those who find them “a convenient option, but, in truth, a slightly disappointing one”. Expansion is still on the cards, though, with 2023 seeing a big new opening in Covent Garden, in a workspace on Drury Lane, complete with outside terrace.

2022 Review: This aptly-named, all-day café in Barnsbury is the local hot-spot for weekend brunch – “if you can get in before the queues”. “Courgette fritters, pancakes, banana bread” all get a shout-out, along with a “seriously good Virgin Mary”. It’s less frenetic during the week, when they take bookings.

Within the foot of one of King’s Cross’s historic gasholders – just behind Coal Drops Yard – this handsome wine bar boasts a celeb investor (Idris Elba) as well as a large terrace with peaceful views over the canal and landscaped greenery. The business also makes Champagne and other vintages under the ‘Porte Noire’ brand and “an interesting wine list” is a key strongpoint, alongside its “buzzy” atmosphere and staff who are “well-balanced, friendly and knowledgeable”. The food is relatively “basic”, but some of the more ambitious dishes can really shine.

Due to open in the second half of 2023 – this historic Islington pie ’n’ mash shop in Chapel Market closed in 2018 but has been rescued by Alex Pashby of street-food trader The Beefsteaks (‘An exclusive 18th Century London steak club reimagined as inclusive 21st Century street food’). At first it will operate as a low-intervention wine bar serving British small plates – as it takes off, the hope is for the food offering to expand.