Neighborhood Watch: King's Cross

There’s never a dull moment in pulsating King’s Cross. Once a seedy red light district, King’s Cross has become so desirable that Google and Louis Vuitton have both decided to move their London headquarters here. One of the largest regeneration projects in the UK has spawned, amongst other things, 50 new buildings, 26 acres of open space, 20 new streets and 10 new parks and squares. The Crick Institute, one of the world’s largest medical research centers, with 1,250 scientists housed in a 980,000-square-foot building, opens its doors next fall.

At the same time, King’s Cross has become a foodie haven, offering delicious meals ranging from high-end to street food. Famed chef Marcus Wareing’s The Gilbert Scott is set in the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel (Euston Road; 44 (0)207-278-3888) and KERB (Stable Street) brings together some of London’s best street food for weekday lunches. With options including Korean BBQ, a lunchtime Bento box, Indian bacon naan or a Greek smoked aubergine salad and vine leaves, King’s Cross is the United Nations of cuisine.

Some other popular spots include Bombay-style café Dishoom (5 Stable Street; 44 (0)207-420-9321), the glamorous Plum + Spilt Milk (Great Northern Hotel; 44 (0)203-388-0818) and the sunlight-filled Aussie breakfast spot Granger & Co. (7 Pancras Square; 44 (0)203-058-2567) whose eggs were described by The New York Times as “light as the breath of an angel.”

Originally built in 1864 for the German Gymnastics Society, German Gymnasium (18 Kirby Street; 44 (0)207-716-0716) is a soaring, industrial looking space that has been reimagined (to the tune of $7.5 million) and now holds a café, restaurant and bar. Dishes on offer on the Germanic style menu include veal schnitzel and an assortment of sausages, along with a selection of German and Austrian wines.