Best Restaurants Around Urbanest King’s Cross

20th March 2015 Chris Clark Accommodation, London Life

This is a guest post by Lisa Herms from Florida, USA, currently a resident at urbanest King’s Cross student accommodation, London. She is studying International Health Policy (Health Economics) Masters course at London School of Economics.

Interesting fact: I actually enjoy reading Shakespeare…and all types of classic literature!

“What I love most about London are the people, the shopping, the history, the atmosphere!”
Urbanest King’s Cross really is at an amazing location. Yes, you do need to walk about 10 minutes to get anywhere, but once you’ve done that, everything is at your disposal! Within only a relatively short walk (which you also get used to pretty quickly), you have access to all the major Kings Cross restaurants, fast-food and cafe chains London has to offer. King’s Cross Station and St. Pancras pretty much offer you the possibility to “eat your way through” an entire week, without having to go to the grocery store once. Not to mention the immediate surroundings, including Gray’s Inn Road, Euston Road, and all of the little streets dispersing from there.

A walk down Caledonian Road in the direction of King’s Cross will also give you a great choice of all types of kebab, pizza, burrito, and other various types of ethnic food you can imagine. Yet all of these options can also be a bit overwhelming at times. This is why below you will find a list of some of my favorite restaurants and cafes near Urbanest King’s Cross. You’re bound to find one of these appealing, and who knows, maybe you will find your new favorite neighborhood restaurant amongst them.

Dishoom Godown

Dishoom is my new absolute favorite Kings Cross restaurant, which I just recently discovered. The best “Indian” food I have ever tasted. The atmosphere and set-up is quite exceptional, modeled after the traditional old Irani cafes of Bombay, serving food and drinks from morning to late at night. There’s a nice bar downstairs, serving excellent unique cocktails. I recommend going with several people and ordering a little bit of everything from the menu. The food comes out as it’s ready, and by the end of the dinner you’ll have a table full of little dishes (more or less empty) and a full stomach. There’s great variety, spice levels to suit everybody’s taste, and the made-to-order Naan bread is to die for. It does turn out to be a little pricy, if you order a bunch of separate little dishes, but there will most likely be leftovers, and it’s a great way to share a meal with a group of friends. There’s also a unique breakfast menu, with award-winning bacon Naan.

Address: 5 Stable Street, N1C 4AB

Greek Larder

This restaurant opened only a few months ago and has quickly become one of my favorites. It serves amazing traditional Greek and Eastern Mediterranean dishes, but always with a slight modern twist. Food is freshly prepared, using seasonal ingredients, and there’s also a great selection of Greek wines and even (a) beer. As part of the restaurant, there is also a Food Store, where many of the delicious antipasti and snacks are sold for you to take home, to complement your home cooked meal. I recommend the “lunch boxes” with a selection of cheese, charcuterie, olives and Greek sweets of your choice, and I usually pick it up and keep it for my dinner that day, alongside some fresh bread. The restaurant also offers a breakfast and brunch on the weekend. Not the cheapest place to eat, but definitely great quality food and worth checking out.

Address: 1 York Way, N1C 4AS

Notes Coffeeshop

For all of the coffee-lovers out there, Notes has just opened up a new branch right at Pancras Square. Not much needs to be said, other than that this is one of the best coffees you will find. The atmosphere of the cafe is lovely, there are snacks and pastries served as well, and the location is perfect – close to both Urbanest and King’s Cross Station, yet without the feel of being right in the middle of a bustling center.

Address: One Pancras Square, N1C 4AG

Caravan

Walking to Granary Square, it’s hard to miss Caravan, probably one of the most well-known Kings Cross restaurants in the area. The food is very good and “well-travelled”, the coffee is excellent, and the atmosphere of an old grain store is quite unique and very typical for this area. While it’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I definitely recommend going for breakfast or brunch on the weekends, and I’ve often heard people refer to it as an “all-day brunch place”. In the summertime, it’s also nice for a late evening snack and a glass of wine in their outside seating area. It is also not the cheapest place to eat, but consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants, and worth a visit. Again, a wonderful place to visit with friends and to share several smaller plates.

Grain Store

Right next to Caravan, and I suppose somewhat of a rival, is the Grain Store. Another spacious and typical industrial-chic place, with a heavy emphasis – though not exclusively – on vegetarian dishes. Again, though it’s open all day, I recommend it as a brunch/breakfast destination. When the weather is nice out, there is plenty of outdoor seating as well, overlooking Granary Square, which has a unique feel to it day and night. If you are not in the mood for the food, the bar with the award winning cocktails is a sufficient destination in and of itself. As before, the Grain Store is probably not suitable to weekly visits, if you are living on a student budget, but serves as a great “treat” every once in a while.

Address: 1-3 Stable Street, N1C 4AB

Vinoteka

Brand new, and currently in its “soft launch phase”, the newest and biggest branch of Vinoteka is now open and right by Pancras Square. Whether you’re a wine-connoisseur, or just appreciate good food and good drink, this is definitely the place to go. There is a relaxed breakfast and brunch with unique – and wine/grape inspired – dishes but also more traditional foods as well. Bread is baked fresh daily and the selection of excellent cured meats is imported directly from Spain. Amongst the 285+ wines on their list, even the wine-layman is bound to find something to his liking here. Most definitely a great place to visit, to sit back, relax after a long day or week, and enjoy one or two glasses.

Address: One Pancras Square, N1C 4AG

Don’t be afraid to try new Kings Cross restaurants, you might end up discovering a new style of food you love!