The Cross once had a reputation as one of London’s premiere destination nightclubs in the nineties and noughties, before it closed to make way for the redevelopment of King’s Cross. The original nightclub once inhabited the railway arches that now belong to Tim Dixon at Coal Drops Yard.
Now, though, The Cross is back, albeit in a different part of the area. Moving into a former pub on Wharfdale Road, The Cross promises much more than the original - yes, some of the nostalgia and heritage of the original club returns in the basement club, but this site also offers a slick ground floor bar, and a first floor restaurant that takes inspiration from the Mediterranean with a smart small plates menu. In addition to all that, there’s a roof terrace that offers cracking views and lots of plush banquette seating to cosy up in, and a second floor lounge to relax in.
The menu in the dining room keeps things compact with a mixture of snacks, salads and Med-influence small plates. Dishes include crispy squid with confit lemons and harissa mayonnaise, cod with beurre blanc, leek oil, potato gratin and salmon roe, and lamb cutlets with Dijon mustard and pistachio crust. Save room for something sweet, because there are desserts too, from a selection of mochi, ice creams and sorbets to a cherry frangipane with cream and cherries, or a clementine and pomegranate pavlova.
The drinks list is similarly tightly-curated, with a short, worldly wine list accompanying innovative house cocktails like the Jasmine Aviation (Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon juice, Violette and jasmine liqueur), Hazelnut Old Fashioned, and a selection of low and no alcohol cocktails as well.
After dinner, make your way to the rooftop bar, the sultry second floor lounge or the gritty basement club and party until the early hours.