London‘s sprawling King’s Cross neighborhood is constantly innovating and reinventing itself as a creative hub.
A place of trade since Roman times, King’s Cross has been an important link to the North of England’s industrial cities throughout history, with goods like coal coming to the capital via Regent’s Canal and one of London’s largest train stations — the King’s Cross Station which opened in 1852. This historically industrial area has undergone a complete reinvention as a creative hub.
Find public squares and gardens here where inspired new architecture merges with historic structures. And there’s exciting shops, restaurants, and galleries everywhere, alongside companies at the forefront of innovation.
St. Pancras London, Autograph Collection lies at the heart of this rapidly evolving district, giving visitors a perfect base for exploration.
Follow this neighborhood guide to discover the vibrant culinary offerings, new public spaces and burgeoning arts scene in King’s Cross.
As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Soak Up the Culture
King’s Cross area is home to one the United Kingdom’s great cultural and academic institutions: The British Library. There’s around 17 million items on its shelves, including nearly 14 million books and some 310,000 manuscript volumes.
See one of four surviving copies of the original Magna Carta, look inside Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook, and tour a series of rotating exhibitions of finds from The British Library’s incredible archives.
Book lovers should also hightail it to Word On The Water, a quirky bookstore built on a floating Regents Canal barge from the 1920s. Peruse a treasure trove of classic and contemporary fiction and nonfiction books. In the warmer months, find events and performances on the barge roof, including live jazz, poetry readings, and opportunities to pet some adorable neighborhood dogs.
King’s Cross has long been a music hotspot, and was once home to iconic clubs like Bagleys and The Cross. Today, the neighborhood welcomes Lafayette, a 600-person capacity bar and music venue opened by Mumford and Son’s Ben Lovett.
Uncover Local Art — and Green Spaces
Seek out boutique galleries to find more about the King’s Cross art scene. The Lethaby Gallery exhibition space, which is dedicated to alumni of Granary Square’s Central Saint Martins (a college of the University of the Arts, London), holds rotating exhibitions displaying fashion, design, and visual art. And find Pangolin London, an incredible sculptures-only gallery, just across the water at Kings Place.
Exercise your creativity at Granary Square’s Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. This free-to-enter gallery holds famed illustrations, public gardens, and rotating illustration events for all ages.
Find further inspiration in the outdoors at the neighborhood’s main greenspace, Lewis Cubitt Park. Then explore Granary Square and stroll along the Regent’s Canal Towpath toward Gasholder Park — a circular greenspace surrounded by a dramatic re-structured cast-iron frame.
Shop Innovative Labels
Coal Drops Yard, a retail complex and public space right alongside Regent’s Canal, is a buzzing shopping and dining destination combining contemporary architecture with historic warehouse structure. The complex houses has more than 50 shops, restaurants, and bars.
Pick up creations by independent and global fashion designers at vitruta, taste the specialty chocolate of an award-winning chef at Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse and take a master-class in terrarium making at Botanical Boys.
Dine and Imbibe
King’s Cross is a foodie hot spot. Restaurants and bars flank Granary Square and fill the King’s Cross and St. Pancras station area. Coal Drops yard also houses many exciting eateries.
Try Australian brunch favorites at Granger & Co., share excellent Indian comfort food dishes at Dishoom, and order the whole menu at the Coal Drops Yard outpost for legendary tapas bar Barrafina.
Top off your meal with a drink at canal-side bar The Lighterman and head into the historic St. Pancras Station for a glass of bubbles at St Pancras Champagne Bar & Brasserie by Searcys.
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