Best restaurants in King’s Cross
Published 19 January 2024

It seems fitting that the Hart Brothers should choose the fashionable enclave of Coal Drops Yard for the fourth – and biggest – branch of Barrafina, their gently expanding group of tapas bars. Located on the upper tier of the development (above Casa Pastor), it chimes perfectly with the laid-back, metropolitan vibe of its neighbours and ticks all the now-familiar Barrafina boxes: counter seating; plain-speaking tiled interiors; clued-up young staff and a menu of skilfully rendered tapas classics prepared and cooked in an open-to-view kitchen. Para picar nibbles of boquerones, chipirones (baby squid) and mojama (cured tuna) pique the taste buds ahead of various made-to-order tortillas, black rice, chicken thighs with romesco or stuffed courgette flowers. Desserts are limited to ice creams, sorbets and crema catalana. Like its siblings, this branch also parades a chalked-up daily board of specials (notably seafood) that lift the cooking up a notch or two: perhaps oxtail croquetas, confit cod with leeks, hake with roasted peppers or the thin, elongated cut of Ibérico pork known as lagarto. A tight list of Spanish regional wines, cavas and sherries in various styles completes the picture.

* A more casual rooftop restaurant and bar (the Coal Terrace) is now open above the main venue, serving food, wine and cocktails Wednesday to Sunday.*

A self-proclaimed ‘food and design playground’ created by Tom Dixon Studios and chef Assaf Granit (ex-The Palomar), this conversion of a Victorian office building backing onto Regent’s Canal is one of the success stories of the Coal Drops Yard development. High stools at the counter provide the best ringside views of the fired-up culinary action – or you can head to the easy-going dining area, where marble-top tables, wood floors and Dixon’s signature Melt pendant lights set the scene for a repertoire of spicily aromatic Middle Eastern and North African dishes. Servings are generous, all the better for sharing and grazing. There are always plenty of takers for breakfast and brunch, with many items also featuring on the extended lunch and dinner menus – from the fabulous Yemeni kubalah bread served with tahini, grated tomato and ‘schug’ (hot chilli paste) to ptitim yerokim (Israeli couscous anointed with parsley and pistachio pesto, courgettes and peas). Seasonal small plates might bring summer tomatoes two ways with Israeli salad, strawberry coulis, basil oil and an olive cracker, while bigger options run from ‘shishlik off’ (chicken skewer accompanied by buttered leeks, herb salad, pickled chillies and chicken jus) to octopus dressed up with a Yemeni pancake, truffled harissa sauce and pomegranate. Desserts are limited but look out for the luscious date ice cream with brown butter or ‘mon petit cherry’ (fresh cherries with cherry and sumac sorbet, yoghurt and oats). Israeli vineyards are well represented on the short, appetising wine list; otherwise creative cocktails do the trick.

‘Cheap, delicious and authentic,’ is one snappy verdict on this constantly rammed, no-bookings Chinese. Queues come with the territory, long waits are inevitable and the whole experience can seem a tad perfunctory, but there’s no disputing the sheer quality of the food. Regulars praise everything from the Shanghai dumplings in soup (‘great depth of flavour’) to the BBQ roast duck, ‘beautifully cooked’ salt-and-pepper squid and a host of peasant-style regional specialities. Also try the 'dazzling' prawn wontons with house-made salad cream (a throwback to old Hong Kong). To drink? Bubble tea, perhaps. Helpings are more than generous, so expect to be well-fed.

The grime and dilapidation surrounding King’s Cross is long gone. Though the canal still snakes through, the old warehouses have been re-purposed with eating, drinking and shopping now the business in hand. A former Victorian transit shed is home to Dishoom, one of an ever-expanding group of livewire Indian eateries inspired by the classless Irani cafés of old Bombay (now Mumbai). If the history is lost on you, the atmospheric decor and sepia photos on the walls will provide context, while the hubbub of the place is sure to get you in the mood.

The place opens early, and if you're not yet acquainted with their bacon naan rolls or Parsi omelettes, you'll be wondering how you managed to get breakfast so wrong all these years. Bookings are only taken for groups of six or more in the evening, so rock up and be lucky (with some 300 covers, it's a capacious spot). The all-day menu has vivid descriptions of each dish – the gunpowder potatoes are smoky-grilled and flavoured with crushed aromatic seeds and green herbs, for example.

Spicing is firm and fair, and everything from small plates (lamb samosas, pau bhaji) to grills (spicy lamb chops, masala prawns etc) and rich, silky curries hits the mark. There's a fabulous Indian spin on the drinks list too, with the likes of India Gimlet and a 1948 Sour on offer. Wines open at £29, and the generous range of beers includes their own house IPA.

If Supawan's food wasn’t so thrilling, the best thing about it would be the welcome. Occupying an unassuming spot on Caledonian Road, just a brief stroll from King's Cross, owner (and executive chef) Wichet Khongphoon has made happiness and good food his raison d’être: his motto – ‘eat well, live well, be happy’ – is fully embraced by the staff. To accommodate a longstanding, loyal following, the colourful, casual dining space expands at night to include the florist's next door (under the same ownership). The menu features a broad roster of regional Thai dishes, from laab to tom yum, but is quintessentially rooted in the cooking of southern Thailand. Alongside plenty of seafood and fiery salads (vibrant green mango with dried shrimps, cashews and peanuts, say), there are street-food classics such as stir-fried morning glory with chillies and garlic or slow-cooked pork belly, a speciality from Phuket, where the chef grew up; we also recommend ordering his ‘dad’s beef curry’ with roasted coconut and pea aubergine. Other powerfully aromatic curries won’t disappoint heat-seekers, and there’s plenty for vegans – the silky, umami-laden laab aubergine is a highlight. Temper the heat with a serving of ice cream (black sesame or coconut) to round things off. The kitsch cocktail list is a giggle and there’s a short list of spice-friendly wines.

In oft-thronged Coal Drops Yard, a lovely and oft-thronged wine bar from the Hart brothers' Barrafina stable. The wine is the thing here on a list led by small producers and good practice, but there's plenty to get your teeth into alongside your chosen tipple. Half a Coombeshead pork pie with English mustard, British and Scottish cheeses and a neat charcuterie selection can be matched effortlessly to the drinks list by a knowledgeable team.