Coal Drops Yard, the Granary Building and the canal frontage at Regent's Place: warehouse-scale restaurants, Hicce, Caravan, German Gymnasium.
Caravan's flagship cafe inside the Granary Building in King's Cross London, opened 2012, runs an in-house coffee roastery and an all-day eclectic Antipodean.
Signature drink: Caravan blend espresso
Tip: Plug sockets along the canal-side window seats. Brunch runs to 16:00; dinner from 17:30 on weekdays.
Caravan's flagship dining room at Granary Square in King's Cross London, opened 2012, runs an Antipodean all-day brunch and in-house coffee roastery.
Order: Smashed avocado on rye, plus a flat white from the in-house roastery
Tip: Outdoor terrace seats fill the canalside in summer. Closed half an hour 16:00-16:30 between brunch and dinner sittings.
The 1979 club under the railway arches by Charing Cross remains the central gay nightclub in London, hosting both club nights and a live programme that runs from MUNA through G-A-Y Saturdays.
Tip: G-A-Y Saturday is the long-running pop room, Porn Idol on Thursdays is the institution night for first-timers.
The 2016 King's Cross flagship with a custom Living Voice sound system and a programme of guest selectors built the audiophile-bar template that is now copied across the country.
Tip: The Friday all-night selector sessions are bookable, the standard evening is walk-in. Sit on the velvet bench, the speakers are aimed at it.