Booking Office 1869

London isn’t short of Instagrammable restaurants which are as much, if not more, about the interiors as they are the food, but when it comes to aesthetics, Booking Office 1869 is certainly worth its salt. This reimagining of the original 19th-century ticket hall at St Pancras is arrestingly beautiful, with sky-high ceilings, life-sized palm trees, modish chandeliers and a rich blend of woods, amber tones and patterned fabrics.  

At the centre lies a 22-metre-long bar, and it’s immediately clear that drinks are a huge reason why people come here. The spacious room is more than half-filled with workers enjoying a skilfully mixed cocktail when we arrive. We try one called Liberality, a light, floral creation featuring vodka, St Germain elderflower, vermouth, fino sherry and tonic. We could have drunk those all evening.  

The food centres around refined brasserie classics – from a burger and fries to cured salmon with seaweed - and dishes are executed very well. Sharing-style starters include crisp nuggets of deep-fried chicken with a zesty sriracha and lime mayonnaise, maroon-hued beetroot hummus with sweet-pickled vegetables and warm thyme and potato bread. Presentation is simple and the flavours are familiar, but all are tasty, smile-inducing things. Further competent cooking includes a main of crisp-skinned stone bass with a tomatoey ragout and a herby lemon emulsion, although our only gripe would be the price. £31 for a main without sides felt a little steep, although we do urge you to order the chips, which are crunchy and addictive. 

If you only pay Booking Office 1869 a visit to enjoy a cocktail at its stunning bar, while ogling at the interiors, you’ll more than get your money's worth. But the food is there to soothe and satisfy in a way that guarantees you’ll leave feeling well-fed. 

Step out of King’s Cross station as it is now, and into Victorian-inspired Booking Office 1869 which has been designed to resemble the original 19th-century ticket hall at St Pancras. Set inside the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, the drinking and dining destination is the product of designer and architect Hugo Toro’s imaginative thinking, who worked alongside owner Harry Handelsman to dream up its stylish interiors. Blending old and new styles, Booking Office 1869 boasts lively and eccentric patterns, fabrics and features inspired by Toro’s desire to create a Victorian-style Winter Garden. 

The 120-cover room features eight-metre tall palm trees, a 22-metre-long bar and three hanging chandeliers which all provide grand focal points within the vast space. If the pictures are anything to go by, you’ll want to book a table here pronto.  

The all-day menu includes classic dishes finished with a modern twist, while a raw fish bar serves best-of-the-season market oysters. The menu is divided into starters, mains and desserts with examples of dishes including tiger prawns with lemon balm emulsion and buttered toast, a classic lobster roll, chicken breast with smoked pancetta, sauerkraut, garlic and parsley potatoes and its signature Booking Office 1869 burger filled with béarnaise sauce, caramelised onions, and Ogleshield cheese. For dessert, there’s malted milk ice cream profiteroles with hot chocolate sauce.

The drinks list and bar are run by Jack Porter (formerly The Mezzanine and The Ned) which serves refined classics and signature cocktails as well as plenty of premium Champagnes, wines and spirits. 

That’s not all. The space hosts live DJ sessions at the latter end of the week, named ‘Last Call’, with an ever-changing line-up of the hottest acts hitting the decks every Friday and Saturday. The perfect accompaniment to one of its Clear Margaritas...