We started the day in King’s Cross as we had breakfast reservations at Dishoom King’s Cross, which is in Coal Drops Yard. After breakfast we explored Coal Drops Yard and visited a floating bookstore on the canal at Coal Drops Yard.
Platform 9 3/4
The Hogwarts Express takes off from Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross Station. It’s located between platforms 9 and 10. Unfortunately for us, those platforms were on the opposite side of the station from where we arrived, and we didn’t feel like buying a ticket just to go stand in a long line to see it. There’s also a Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4, because of course there is. Too bad the author has turned out to be a trash human.
Dishoom
Next time you’re in London, we highly recommend Dishoom. There are several locations (this is the King’s Cross location, which is in Coal Drops Yard). It’s Indian food, and open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but they’re really known for their breakfast. Indian breakfast? You bet! It was outstanding. Definitely book ahead, though, as getting a walk-in table would be difficult. Completely packed the as soon as they opened. Pro tip: if coming to the King’s Cross location, try to get a table at 10:00-ish. The other shops don’t open until 11:00am. Our reservation was at 9:00am, so we had to kill some time before the shops opened. There are some high-end vintage/thrift shops at Coal Drops Yard.
Coal Drops Yard
Coal Drops Yard is an open-air shopping area in King’s Cross. There are a variety of shops, including some high end vintage/thrift shops. There was also a movie called The Moonwalkers, narrated by Tom Hanks. It’s an immersive experience, with the film projected on every surface of the auditorium. In the 1980’s, Coal Drops Yard was nothing but abandoned warehouses and were used to throw large illegal raves. By the early 90’s proper music licenses were acquired and official nightclubs opened up, including Bagley’s (which took up 3 floors, and was later renamed Canvas). The financial crisis of 2008, along with the further deterioration of the warehouses, caused the club to shut down. The area was redeveloped and opened as the current shopping center in 2018. Be sure to stop at Longboys for some interesting doughnuts.
Word on the Water
Word on the Water is a charming little bookshop housed in a barge on the canal. Teresa, having been a high school English teacher for decades, especially enjoyed the bookbarge.
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