Cult London restaurants Hoppers and Bao are planning to open new sites in King’s Cross, according to plans submitted to Camden Council.
Both restaurants are the creation of the JKS Restaurants group, which own or have played a hand in several London success stories, including Brigadiers, Berenjak, Lyle’s and Gymkhana (currently closed due to an on-site fire).
According to the plans first revealed by industry website MCA, the King’s Cross branches of Hoppers and Bao will both be housed in the same building, as part of the Pancras Square development, which sits between St Pancras and Granary Square.
Bao is set to open on the ground floor, in a space far bigger than any of the locations in its existing portfolio. The plans for Bao also appear to show that the restaurant will feature a separate room which can seat up to 12 diners – it’s currently unclear whether this would be a chef’s table or a private dining space, but both would be a first for the Bao brand.
Upstairs on the first floor is where Hoppers will reside, also taking up a space far larger than its two existing sites in the capital. Both restaurants will share an outside seating area, with al fresco seating now being de rigueur in King’s Cross – several of the restaurants at Coal Drop Yards are equipped with outdoor terraces, while Granary Square restaurants such as The Lighterman and Granary Square Brasserie also allow for outdoor dining.
Hoppers first opened its doors to mass critical acclaim in 2015 with an intimate Soho site, and has since opened a second location in St Christopher’s Place. Bao meanwhile, started out life as a street food outfit at Hackney’s Netil Market in 2013, but now operates sites in Soho, Fitzrovia and most recently, Borough.
No opening date has been set for either restaurant and both plans are still subject to approval.
For a wide take on the area’s culinary offering, check out our pick of the best restaurants in King’s Cross.