13 secret spots to explore in King’s Cross

Located in an unlikely spot on Gray’s Inn Road, you could easily stroll past the big gates of the Calthorpe Project. But step inside and you’ll find a beautiful community garden decked out with mismatched chairs and benches, as well as a café serving food made from the garden’s produce. They host workshops on everything from yoga to upcycling and there are plants for sale if you fancy taking some greenery home with you. Just don’t pick the flowers, yeah?

This floating bookshop on a 1920s Dutch barge used to drift up and down the Regent’s Canal before it found a permanent spot near Granary Square. Every nook and cranny of the Word on the Water boat is stocked with a great selection of old and new books and a woodburning stove keeps it cosy – there’s even a squishy armchair if you fancy curling up with a good read. It also hosts book launches, storytelling nights, poetry slams and live jazz. All aboard!

There’s a reason there’s always a queue outside Roti King. And that’s because their roti – a flaky, buttery flatbread – is totally worth the wait. Try it stuffed with cheese, egg or spinach – or get two plain rotis on the side for dipping if you order a curry. If you call ahead to place your order you get to be that smug person who walks to the front of the queue to collect your food. You’re welcome.

You don’t have to hop on the Eurostar to enjoy an authentic French baguette. Aux Pains De Papy is a haven for lovers of all things golden and crusty, as well as a pleasant spot to enjoy a coffee or a croque monsieur. Croissants, sandwiches and tasty loaves are all made fresh on site, but once the day’s supply sells out, that’s it – so get down there early. Bonne chance!

You can expect way more than your bog-standard lager at the The Queen’s Head – a lovely watering hole hidden away on a side street off Grays Inn Road. It’s owned by the same hopheads who run independent bottle shop Mother Kelly’s, so you know you’re in good hands. As well as three real-ale pumps there’s a rotating selection of craft beers on draught, often from local breweries such as Kernel, Redemption and Camden Town. If you’ve had one too many beers, soak up the booze with classic pub grub including pork pies and ploughman’s platters.

Craft beer breweries are livening up industrial estates all over London and this corner of King’s Cross is no exception thanks to the arrival of Two Tribes. The on-site brewery means the beer is as fresh as it comes and there are loads to choose from – Cream Soda IPA, Coal Drops Yard stout, Non Stop Hits Modern lager – as well as beers from other local breweries and further afield. Plus, there’s a courtyard for alfresco boozing and a sweet soundsystem for DJ sets and gigs. Cheers to that!

Bento boxes, donburi (rice bowls) and sushi rolls have all been given a vegan makeover at Itadaki Zen on King’s Cross Road. Choose from udon dishes, sushi and salads at lunch, which you can pimp out with homemade kimchi, marinated seaweed or tofu ‘steak’. Alternatively, head there for dinner and feast on one of the set menus. Who said vegan food was all lentils or fried ‘chik’n’?

Need a break from the crowds of Granary Square? Wander along the Regent’s Canal towpath and you’ll find Gasholder Park, a circular green haven housed in an old Victorian gasholder. The Grade-II listed structure used to be part of the largest gasworks in London and was originally where Pancras Square is now, until it was dismantled in 2011. It’s since been relocated, spruced up and adorned with twinkling fairy lights and loads of mirrors, so it’s a good place for some quiet reflection (sorry).

This working church is one of the oldest sites of worship in Britain. It’s also among London’s most spectacular intimate venues, thanks to a packed gig calendar and a white-and-gold interior with a capacity of just 120. Most of the shows here are candle-lit adding to the special atmosphere. It’s known for hosting up-and-coming artists – Tom Odell, Lucy Rose and Sam Smith had some of their early gigs here – while established acts like Sinead O Connor, Laura Marling and Brian Eno have also taken to the stage. 

A small but thriving green space on the site of a former coal yard, Camley Street is a lovely oasis at the heart of the renovated King’s Cross. London Wildlife Trust’s Flagship Reserve, it hosts pond-dipping and nature-watching sessions for children and its wood-cabin visitor centre is used by the Wildlife Watch Club. The park runs alongside a picturesque stretch of the Regent's Canal and has created a floating forest garden to make the most of its setting. There are pond, meadow and woodland habitats to explore, and creatures to keep an eye out for kingfishers, geese, mallards and bats.  

A true labour of love, Spiritland (named after a surprisingly funky Elkie Brooks song) puts its audiophile soundsystem, robust decks and rotary DJ mixer centre stage. At its core, it's a bar and eatery on Granary Square. But the quality of record selectors that pass through the space are on another level, and make it a truly rewarding destination for music lovers.

The UK's first ever LGBTQ+ museum offers a valuable peek into centuries of queer history. Its director Joseph Galliano is a former editor of Gay Times, who has pulled together an impressive collection of donors, supporters and contirbutors from across the queer rainbow. It's a small, free to enter spot that includes exhibits such as the prison door behind which Oscar Wilde wrote De Profundis and photographs documenting stories of struggle and celebration through the decades.

Sir Henry Wellcome, a pioneering 19^th-century pharmacist, amassed a vast and idiosyncratic collection of implements and curios relating to the medical trade, now displayed here. Its temporary exhibitions are often brilliant and come with all manner of associated events, from talks to walks, but don’t miss its beautiful Reading Room, which is a combination of library, gallery and event space with squishy sofas and cushions, books, games and anatomical drawings. If you're looking for somewhere to while away a few hours with a good book, this is the place.