Grain Store (Closed)

Words by Ian Cameron

Address: Granary Square, 1-3 Stable Street, London, N1C 4AB, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7324 4466
Website: view Grain Store (Closed)’s website
Door: Make reservation
Style: Restaurant bar
Food: Set menu

Review

As a symbol of the urban regeneration that's gone on around King's Cross and St Pancras, you don't get much better than Granary Square. What was previously a dingy no-man's land between the rail tracks north of the two train stations, with the canal in between, was frequented by dazed clubbers and hobos and was perhaps best known as a place to urinate late at night. Fast forward five years, some of the clubs have gone (RIP The Cross) and there's an open piazza with fancy light-meets-water installation. Central St Martin's art college has relocated here following the Guardian newspaper and there's also this large, warehouse-style brasserie. It's all buzzy, clean and cool.

Inside the Victorian warehouse you'll find an architecturally deconstructed (ie the air con and pipes are all on display) light and airy brasserie. A large open kitchen provides most of the theatre while large island bar serves a selection of Tony Conigliaro-curated cocktails that exhibit his brand of lab-inspired behind-the-scenes alchemy (though classic in execution). Ingredients like truffle-infused sherry, homemade butter and hay liqueur, and pollen will be familiar to visitors to Zetter Townhouse or 69 Colebrook Row, along with a new range of home-aromaticised wines, and serves are almost as accomplished.