Latest reviews for Cafes & Coffee Shops in Kings Cross, London, United Kingdom

Chop'd - Salad Daze by LondonistMatt

LondonistMatt — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:03:13 +0000

Review by LondonistMatt

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7837 1603

Website: http://chopd.co.uk

Chopâ¬"d (not sure where the PE went, although I wish my school had pioneered this excision) is a small chain of salad bars. Iâ¬"m a regular visitor to their new St Pancras branch. Mostly because I enjoy finding an excuse to cross the endangered Victorian rail bridge inside Kingâ¬"s Cross, but also to gorge on their perfect salads.

You have two options once inside. Grab one of the pre-made bowls from the fridge or get a server to piece together a bespoke salad for you. The latter seems to involve far too many questions, so I usually plump for the ready-mades. These Vader helemts of botanical sustenance cost a fair whack (weâ¬"re talking Â£5-Â£7), but theyâ¬"ll keep you munching away for the best part of an hour. Ironically, vegetarians are poorly provided for from the fridge section, but meat-eaters will love the Parma ham offering, with its hidden pasta layers.

Picking the salad is the easy part. You also have to choose amongst a dozen or so dressings. Then comes the baffling payment system. Those wanting the salad bar queue to the right, while those wanting to pay for a preprepared bowl pay on the left, behind an unfortunately placed pillar. Thatâ¬"s the plan, anyway. Newcomers end up scratching their head, or feeling that those on the left are somehow pushing in. Better design needed.

In summary: pricey but nicey; ergonomically dicey.
Chopâ¬"d (not sure where the PE went, although I wish my school had pioneered this excision) is a small chain of salad bars. Iâ¬"m a regular visitor to their new St Pancras branch. Mostly because I enjoy finding an excuse to cross the endangered Victorian rail bridge inside Kingâ¬"s Cross, but also to gorge on their perfect salads.

You have two options once inside. Grab one of the pre-made bowls from the fridge or get a server to piece together a bespoke salad for you. The latter seems to involve far too many questions, so I usually plump for the ready-mades. These Vader helemts of botanical sustenance cost a fair whack (weâ¬"re talking Â£5-Â£7), but theyâ¬"ll keep you munching away for the best part of an hour. Ironically, vegetarians are poorly provided for from the fridge section, but meat-eaters will love the Parma ham offering, with its hidden pasta layers.

Picking the salad is the easy part. You also have to choose amongst a dozen or so dressings. Then comes the baffling payment system. Those wanting the salad bar queue to the right, while those wanting to pay for a preprepared bowl pay on the left, behind an unfortunately placed pillar. Thatâ¬"s the plan, anyway. Newcomers end up scratching their head, or feeling that those on the left are somehow pushing in. Better design needed.

In summary: pricey but nicey; ergonomically dicey.

Blue River Cafe - Blue River Cafe by Nessa

Nessa — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:08:14 +0000

Review by Nessa

Rating: 4.00

Phone: 020 7278 2261

Tags: cosy, top food, good brew

This is the place for all those locally who have just got up after a night of some serious clubbinâ¬" . Their fry ups are hefty, and lets just say that they are not stingy with their portions. Good cafÃ© food, their fry upâ¬"s are intensely satisfying, and sometimes a good traditional twist is on their specials menu occasionally brings me to order take aways on top of what Iâ¬"ve had already. I had the most amazing falafel I have ever tasted in this very shop. Also, their garlic chicken is Delicious! Iâ¬"ve tried it myself but it never quite tastes the same lol. The service is lovely, gives off a comfortable unprofessional vibe, but they defo know what theyâ¬"re doing.
They are more than reasonably price, and I have never been unsatisfied with their service. My only complaint is that I find that theyâ¬"re sometimes to full for me to be seated. This is the place for all those locally who have just got up after a night of some serious clubbinâ¬" . Their fry ups are hefty, and lets just say that they are not stingy with their portions. Good cafÃ© food, their fry upâ¬"s are intensely satisfying, and sometimes a good traditional twist is on their specials menu occasionally brings me to order take aways on top of what Iâ¬"ve had already. I had the most amazing falafel I have ever tasted in this very shop. Also, their garlic chicken is Delicious! Iâ¬"ve tried it myself but it never quite tastes the same lol. The service is lovely, gives off a comfortable unprofessional vibe, but they defo know what theyâ¬"re doing.
They are more than reasonably price, and I have never been unsatisfied with their service. My only complaint is that I find that theyâ¬"re sometimes to full for me to be seated.

Costa - It's just a Costa, but I think I like it by LondonistMatt

LondonistMatt — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:44:55 +0000

Review by LondonistMatt

Rating: 3.00

Website: http://www.costa.co.uk

Tags: cosy, good brew, quick bite

26-30 York Way? What, three whole buildings' worth of Costa? Well, it doesn't seem so big once through the doors. This place has the nice cozy feel of a community caff, rare in a chain.

They have a guest book. (Is this a Costa norm?) Someone hearts Rosa. Another person adores Luigi. A third customer was lost for words and simply left a coffee stain by way of feedback. At least I hope it was a coffee stain.

The branch is right in the middle of the 'Regents Quarter' - a major regeneration of derelict victorian warehousing and goods yards. Fans of loud drilling and buzz-saw duets will delight in the frequent aural intrusions from adjoining buildings. It's the closest experience I've yet had to dining on a construction site - one of my life's ambitions. (See also visiting my first Ikea, and getting the point of Bob Dylan.)

I had a mocha Flake, which I discovered is actually a mocha with two Flakes. Bad naming there.

OK, maybe on reflection it was a mocha with one Flake, but broken into two Flake moieites. I guess that's not so easy to fit on the menu board.

I also bought an egg sandwich (there's that streak of ambition shining through again). Which, in fact, was two egg sandwiches, and we enter the same argument about labelling as previously.

The cafe is not geared up for reading magazines printed on glossy paper. Bright overhead lights caused me all kinds of reflected inconvenience as I attempted to read an article on Cocknies in Time Out.

I didn't leave a message in the guest book. Instead, I left behind a book about graffiti. On purpose. I'm moving flat in a week or two and am trying to get rid of as many books as possible. It's quite thrilling, leaving things behind and sneaking away before a helpful neighbour tries to tell you you've left something. I just have to make sure I don't extend the habit to suitcases or fire extinguishers.

26-30 York Way? What, three whole buildings' worth of Costa? Well, it doesn't seem so big once through the doors. This place has the nice cozy feel of a community caff, rare in a chain.

They have a guest book. (Is this a Costa norm?) Someone hearts Rosa. Another person adores Luigi. A third customer was lost for words and simply left a coffee stain by way of feedback. At least I hope it was a coffee stain.

The branch is right in the middle of the 'Regents Quarter' - a major regeneration of derelict victorian warehousing and goods yards. Fans of loud drilling and buzz-saw duets will delight in the frequent aural intrusions from adjoining buildings. It's the closest experience I've yet had to dining on a construction site - one of my life's ambitions. (See also visiting my first Ikea, and getting the point of Bob Dylan.)

I had a mocha Flake, which I discovered is actually a mocha with two Flakes. Bad naming there.

OK, maybe on reflection it was a mocha with one Flake, but broken into two Flake moieites. I guess that's not so easy to fit on the menu board.

I also bought an egg sandwich (there's that streak of ambition shining through again). Which, in fact, was two egg sandwiches, and we enter the same argument about labelling as previously.

The cafe is not geared up for reading magazines printed on glossy paper. Bright overhead lights caused me all kinds of reflected inconvenience as I attempted to read an article on Cocknies in Time Out.

I didn't leave a message in the guest book. Instead, I left behind a book about graffiti. On purpose. I'm moving flat in a week or two and am trying to get rid of as many books as possible. It's quite thrilling, leaving things behind and sneaking away before a helpful neighbour tries to tell you you've left something. I just have to make sure I don't extend the habit to suitcases or fire extinguishers.

Tony's Natural Foods - by Angel_Bury

Angel_Bury — Tue, 22 May 2007 21:50:15 +0000

Review by Angel_Bury

Rating: 3.00

Tags: vegetarian, lunch, quick bite

I love the idea of this place, although the service and food can be rather hit amd miss. They're missing a trick with their opening hours, I'd certainly look in and pick up a box of salad for lunch en route to work if they were open at a decent hour in the AM. I'm quite endeared with the haphazardness of this place and I do leave feeling like I've got quite the righteous tummy albeit vaguel unsatified tummy...I love the idea of this place, although the service and food can be rather hit amd miss. They're missing a trick with their opening hours, I'd certainly look in and pick up a box of salad for lunch en route to work if they were open at a decent hour in the AM. I'm quite endeared with the haphazardness of this place and I do leave feeling like I've got quite the righteous tummy albeit vaguel unsatified tummy...