Discover the best King’s Cross bars with this insider’s guide.
It may not look like it at first glance, but the area around King’s Cross and St Pancras is hiding more than a few fabulous drinking holes.
With a funny mix of great pubs that fill up with people grabbing quick pints before shooting off on a train journey, to a great spread of bars teeming with locals, and business people, King’s Cross is never a boring place to have a drink.
Whether you’re after a wild night on the roof of Big Chill or a quiet cocktail in The Booking Office – a watering hole in St Pancras Station’s stunning ex-ticket hall – you’ve got plenty of choice.
Read on for the best bars in King’s Cross.
The Best Bars in King’s Cross
Big Chill King’s Cross
The King’s Cross outpost of the Big Chill Bar is one of the area’s worst-kept secrets. Not only does the sprawling bar downstairs host some brilliant DJ nights (it’s no accident these guys ran the much-missed Big Chill Festival) – they also serve up a mean range of cocktails and craft beers too.
Chilled by name, chilled by nature, it’s an unpretentious spot to quaff a few drinks and, later in the evening, have a bit of a dance. Potent drinks like the Lady Marmalade – with Absolut Mandarin Vodka, Le Altane Prosecco, orange marmalade and lemon juice help ease things along.
Head upstairs to find the best-hidden rooftop bar in King’s Cross – colourfully decorated, it’s the perfect suntrap on a bright day.
Read Next: The Best Cocktail Bars in London
The Cellar
We wouldn’t need to be clairvoyant to tell you that The Cellar – a recently opened wine bar in King’s Cross – would go on to become a much-loved neighbourhood hangout.
What’s not to love? A wine list made up of low-intervention wines (think organic and biodynamic wines sourced from small producers), carefully sourced cheese and charcuterie boards, a cool but comfortable interior?
There’s very little about this place that doesn’t tick all the boxes and it’s certainly the place to go if you’re looking to discover your new favourite grape-based tipple.
The ever-changing list features unusual finds such as a Miranius Xarel Lo from Cellar Credo Penedes in Spain – a minerally white made from the same grape as Cava that has just become my drink of the summer.
Sweetwater
Plush drinking den Sweetwater didn’t have the best run of it in its early days – no sooner had it opened in Goods Way in March 2020 before it had to close them two weeks later because of the national lockdown.
Still, it’s making up for lost time now, with a lively atmosphere and drinks menu inspired by New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta.
The relatively short cocktail list is filled with concoctions unique to Sweetwater. Go for the Watermelon Man – a very drinkable amalgam of Don Julio, mezcal, lime and watermelon served short and sharp in a glass dusted with chipotle salt.
The word – that this is one of the coolest bars in King’s Cross – is firmly out. Pleasantly busy on a Thursday night, count yourself lucky if you manage to grab an unreserved table.
Booking Office 1869
Want some cocktails with a side of swank (let’s face it – who doesn’t)? Head to the St Pancras Renaissance’s stylish bar The Booking Office.
Housed in the original booking office of St Pancras Station, the interior is suitably elegant – think carved gothic panels and glimpses of that iconic St Pancras red and white brickwork.
The cocktails live up to their promise – they’re on the more expensive side but are all expertly made: no small feat given how large the list is. Choose from classics or contemporary creations like the First Class: Hennessy, freshly squeezed lemon juice, pineapple juice and homemade spiced syrup.
Champagne Bar by Searcys
Transporting you back to the golden age of railway travel, the Champagne Bar by Searcys has seen to it that no trip on the Eurostar is complete without a pre-check-in tipple of bubbles whilst watching the activity in the station below.
Even if you’re not heading off on a trip, there are far worse ways to spend an evening than working your way through the extensive champagne list accompanied by nibbles from the unashamedly high-end menu under the arched roof of the station. Fact.
Camino
Is Camino a bar or a restaurant – that is the question? Either way, it’s good
That London-based Spanish expats flock here in their droves for the expansive sherry list and delicious tapas says pretty much all you need to know about Pepito.
Don’t worry though, if you’re not a fan of sherry, there are plenty of hearty Spanish wines for you to quaff instead.
Spiritland
Spiritland’s King’s Cross bar puts a real emphasis on music with an incredible sound system that has won it a loyal following from the city’s audiophiles (their South Bank bar is also great FYI).
It describes itself as a space for music-lovers and it doesn’t disappoint – with an eclectic programme of music, talks, album launches and more scheduled every single day of the week. There’s even a radio studio there too.
Roof Garden St Pancras
You would think that a roof garden right on top of the St Pancras Renaissance would be one of the area’s most popular bars – but somehow the Roof Garden St Pancras manages to fly under many revellers’ radars. Their loss is your gain – G&Ts, cocktails and wood-fired pizzas make this one hell of a brilliant spot in summer and winter.
The Racketeer
There aren’t many cocktail bars with an outdoor terrace in King’s Cross, but the presence of the outdoor space only goes some way to explaining what makes The Racketeer so special.
It’s a cocktail bar, sure, but one of the most laid back in the area. Sofas you sink into, ornate rugs and beautiful tiling come together to create the kind of place that is difficult to leave.
The Drop
Another restaurant meets wine bar in King’s Cross – this time from the guys behind Barrafina, The Drop is one of our favourite hangouts in Coal Drops Yard.
Wines are sourced from regions around the world – though the emphasis on lesser-known areas and winemakers stops it from being your bog-standard wine bar. Much should be said about the staff’s near-encyclopaedic knowledge of the wines on the menu – if you’re a bit stuck, ask for some guidance.
Food-wise, The Drop takes you on a jaunt through British seasonal small plates – they’re hard to resist, even if you have just popped in for a few drinks.
Permit Room
Just as the upstairs restaurant brings a touch of Bombay’s cafe culture to King’s Cross, Dishoom’s downstairs bar Permit Room brings the after dark side of the city to the area.
Classic cocktails are given a Bombay spin – once you’ve had the Viceroy’s Old Fashioned, which blends bourbon with bay leaf reduction and green tea among other things – you’ll never want to go back to the everyman’s version again.
Decimo
If you fancy something a little more up-market, Decimo will tick that box. Perched high at the top of The Standard Hotel, this bar is actually a lounge of sorts, with a Michelin-decorated Spanish restaurant attached.
The cocktails are great. You could (if you had the cash) sit there all night knocking them back and they wouldn’t get boring.
The vibe of the place can change depending on the night you visit. At the weekends, DJs have been known to turn the lounge into a party zone, but come on a weekday and you’ll find the place as sleek and sophisticated as you like.
Bar Rioja
Tucked away down the same surreptitious alleyway that you’ll find Camino in, hides Bar Rioja – one of our favourite spots for drinks in King’s Cross. The place, like its neighbour, this spot specialises in the Spanish, but they set themselves apart by focussing on just one region: Rioja.
The wine menu is unlike any other, a truly extensive list of all types of Rioja’s wine. You’ll find classic bottles and things from independent vineyards and obscure wine producers. They serve most by the glass, with small 75ml glasses on offer with the idea that you sample as many as you can.
Then, should you want something to line the stomach, they do a great menu of tapas – the perfect accompaniment, of course – and a bar of pintxos for you to pick at while you eat. Throw in the fact they’ve got some lovely outdoor seating and you’re on for a win.
Best Kings Cross Bars: Practical Tips
- The nice thing about drinking in King’s Cross is that you’ve got a million and one options for getting home. Overground is connected by St Pancras Station, and multiple tube lines run from King’s Cross Underground. National Rail runs from both if you live outside of London.
- If you’re drinking at high-end spots like Booking Office or Decimo it would be smart to make a reservation beforehand. Everywhere else you should be fine, but if you’re a stickler for planning, book anyway.
- If you need to eat on your tour of the King’s Cross Bars you’ve got plenty of choices. It won’t seem that way from street level though. KX can appear like a mirage of fast food and kebab joints to the untrained eye. Check out the good places to eat here.
