Booking Office 1869 opens in King’s Cross
The redeveloped restaurant can seat up to 120 people and it comes with a 22-metre long bar which surrounds the original ticket office, as well as a Victorian-style winter garden.
Booking Office 1869 has announced that the drinking and dining destination is now open in King’s Cross.
The redevelopment of the bar and restaurant was led by hotelier and owner Harry Handelsmanis, and it comes complete with a late license and resident DJs.
The room can seat up to 120 people and it comes with a 22-metre long bar which surrounds the original ticket office. Additionally, seating and fabrics are used to divide the room to separate diners from drinkers so “drinkers do not feel alienated by diners and diners feel comfortable to eat around guests enjoying a drink”.
Meanwhile, the redesign includes features such as 8-metre tall palm trees and pendant lights made up of 267 brass leaves each.
The venue is a reimagining of the original 19th century St. Pancras ticket hall, and it replaces the previous Booking Office bar and restaurant with the revised name.
The redesign has been overseen by Parisian architect and designer Hugo Toro, who has worked alongside Handelsman to create a new design, and it includes a Victorian-style winter garden.
The restaurant and bar is the first UK-commission for Toro, who has previously led the design for restaurants in France including La Scène, Perruche and GiGi de Ramatuelle.
In addition, all-day style menus were created by Allegra’s Patrick Powell, and a cocktail menu was designed by Jack Porter, bar manager.
Booking Office 1869 said that following its launch will be the opening of the roof garden which will serve a snack-style menu from its indoor counterpart.
Handelsman said: “Following the consequent redevelopment of King’s Cross over the next ten years, I felt now was the time for a new destination bar and restaurant in the city and in the creation of Booking Office 1869 in partnership with my friend and collaborator Hugo Toro.
“I firmly believe we have realised our ambition and I look forward to locals and visitors enjoying and engaging with what we have achieved.”
Toro added: “My overarching ambition was the introduction of a contemporary voice but one still connected to a past time; a visual dialogue with the space’s extraordinary heritage.”
