London’s most dynamic neighbourhood – just got a new star destination, Tom Dixon's the Coal Office Restaurant. Overlooking Granary Square it's the latest piece of his new The Coal Office at Kings Cross HQ puzzle to be revealed, but there's undoubtedly more to come as Dixon treats his new home as an ever-evolving space for events and experimentation.
Dining area on the ground floor of the Coal Office Restaurant
The restaurant is a creative partnership between Dixon and Israeli restaurateur Assaf Granit, chef-patron of a growing international empire with restaurants in Jerusalem and also the award-winning The Palomar and The Barbary in London. Revitalised by DRS Architects and David Morley Architects, many of the building’s original features were retained following Dixon’s acquisition – including the industrial Victorian brickwork and windows – with the designer taking care of the long, slender interior.
Dixon employs his signature industrial stamp throughout from the ground floor dining room up to the rooftop bar and al fresco space – there are also plans for a chef’s table in the vaulted basement. If you're looking to invest in some Tom Dixon lighting you'll find plenty of examples to choose from here. His popular ‘Melt’ pendant lamps instantly greet guests in the first dining area, hovering above pre-release ‘Fat’ bar stools which line the bar and high tables (see above), elsewhere his Top, Mirror Ball and Curve Ball all make an appearance.
In the second room the seating is set at a lower dining level, creating a more relaxed feel. Meandering through the curving space, marble tabletops in a variety of shades present Dixon-designed tableware, which currently includes rough hewn silver cutlery that is being tested on diners’ pre-production.
The first floor space of the Coal Office Restaurant features a granite counter by Testi
Granit’s menu of Mediterranean-style sharing plates is served from an open kitchen. The chef's native Jerusalem is at its heart, but it also draws upon many traditional Mediterranean flavours and textures that stretch from North Africa to The Levant. Starter highlights include Grandma Lea’s Chiga, bringing together bulgar, pomegranate and bell pepper caramel, as well as surefire hit Machneyuda Polenta, which has transferred straight from Granit’s Jerusalem restaurant of the same name, and is served in a small copper pan and supplemented by asparagus, mushrooms, parmesan and grated black truffle.
For mains the Seafood Chraime, served in tomatoes and pepper stew and accompanied by Yemen pancakes, is well complimented by the organic Spanish house white Castaño Organic Macabeo. Finish off with the tantalising rice pudding, colourful Malibu panna cotta, or fig leaf and fig leaf’s oil ice cream, then head upstairs to take full advantage of the outdoor terrace, which provides an outstanding view of the developing Kings Cross neighbourhood from Wilkinson Eyre’s Gasholders to Heatherwick Studio's Coal Drops Yard.
Melt pendant lighting illuminates ‘Fat’ seating in the ground floor dining space
Chunky charcoal-like timber panelling is reminiscent of the material from which the restaurant takes its name
The chef's table is in the vaulted basement
The terrace looks onto Granary Square
The rooftop terrace of the Coal Office Restaurant
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
2 Bagley Walk
-
This Prada jewellery collection is a mismatch made in heavenPrada's new fine jewellery collection unites unexpected cuts with sorbet shades
-
A minimalist Moroccan villa is meticulously designed as an ‘observatory of time and nature’DDAR, a minimalist Moroccan villa in Essaouira, designed by Othmane Bengebara, was crafted around its owner’s love of creativity, entertaining and quiet retreat
-
This Andre Agassi-backed sports club in Philadelphia might be the most stylish athletic facility we've ever seenAt Ballers in Philadelphia, you can play tennis, take a dip and have dinner beneath one soaring roof. Here's a look inside
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
Legado brings a bold Spanish legacy to ShoreditchMichelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s second venture marries design-led interiors with regional Spanish flavours rarely found in London
-
The Macbeth, an icon of indie sleaze, goes from grotty to gastroAn East End legend meets Portuguese small plates in Jamie Allan’s ambitious revival of a beloved Hackney watering hole
-
A complete collection of Phaidon’s ‘Contemporary Artists Series’ is on display in LondonA 30-year project reaching 100 volumes is being celebrated with an exhibition at the 45 Park Lane hotel, including limited-edition works by Kaws and Dana Schutz
-
London’s best pizza restaurant gets a new home in MayfairSecure a slice of New York-style pizza in central London as Crisp Pizza teams up with the Devonshire pub to set up shop in the relaunched The Marlborough
-
At this east London listening bar, mezcal-fuelled cocktails hit as hard as the basslinesIn Bethnal Green, Little Fires pairs vinyl grooves with mezcal margaritas and Oaxacan sharing plates
-
Harry Nuriev’s Noisy Oyster London bistro isn’t quite finished – and that’s the pointA futuristic, work-in-progress aesthetic forms a striking backdrop for a new, sustainably focused seafood bistro in Shoreditch
-
Head to Lupa for a taste of Rome in the heart of HighburyEd Templeton, Theo James and Naz Hassan unveil an intimate 28-seat restaurant that balances a cosy, candlelit atmosphere with Roman-style dining
