Arriving in London from Paris on the Eurostar, the contrast between the terminals couldn’t be sharper. Judged against the Gare du Nord, St Pancras and the regenerated King’s Cross show just how much London is booming. Between the two, German Gymnasium is cast in the style of a grand European brasserie and located to lure in travellers with time to kill and the well-heeled workers now inhabiting the area.
The 1865 building, designed by Edward Gruning for the German Gymnastics Society, is very pretty, especially lit up at night. Architecture firm, Allies and Morrison have revived its industrial elegance, particularly the exterior brickwork and the vaulted ceiling, while Conran & Partners interior flags up the sporting heritage – the building hosted the first indoor Olympics in 1866.
The period details are best appreciated on the upper level, from where you have a bird’s-eye view of the ‘grand café’ below. Chef Bjoern Wassmuth’s cuisine is Mittel-European, and cooked very well; the Wiener Schnitzel flies out of the kitchen. The Meister bar makes a stab at cocktail innovations, but the wines from ‘along the Danube’ are more interesting.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
King’s Blvd
London N1C 4BU
-
From The Fat Badger to The Bull, how Public House are redefining the British pubInside the design-driven food group putting provenance, craft and community back at the heart of pub culture
-
Honor brings the bling with this special edition of the new Magic V Flip2A clamshell foldable with a sprinkle of fashion industry magic, the Jimmy Choo-branded Honor Magic V Flip2 is pocketable, powerful and personable
-
Pretty in cactus-inspired pink, this Mexican desert house responds to its arid contextCasa Cardona, a pink house by architects Sensacional Dinamica Mexicana, is a multigenerational home that celebrates colour and changing light
-
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
-
Underground grooves and a touch of ‘controlled chaos’ make this exciting Japanese-inspired restaurant one to bookMoi, a new subterranean hotspot in London, is a feast for the senses
-
Café Kitsuné doubles down on London with a new locationCafé Kitsuné continues its global expansion with a bijou two-floor venue in Covent Garden that prioritises both craft and flavour
-
You can live out your Gatsby dreams, thanks to Claridge’s new Jazz Age-themed sleepoverCheck in for the legendary hotel's Bright Young Things Sleepover — Shalimar perfume included
