Visited as a pre-theatre meal prior to a trip to King’s Cross Theatre. There were so many things this restaurant excelled at: 1) service — attentive without being overbearing. Very friendly waitstaff that put you at ease 2) atmosphere — stately dining room which had a nice amount of space so you had plenty of room to feel comfortable. Like dining in one of your aristocratic friends’ living rooms! Amazingly you can have a casual conversation at a reasonable volume and be able to hear your companion(s)!! 3) flavourful food — I had probably the most flavourful steak I’ve had in London without the aid of any sauces. A bit of an error on my part ordering a little too high on the doneness scale, but the flavour of the meat(Rib-Eye) was fantastic. Pro tip: the sauce does go great with the beef-dripping chips though! It’s a bit on the pricier side, but you get every penny’s worth from the many facets that the restaurant does well!
Cat F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Sydney, Australia
There’s two things this restaurant offers, style and substance, rarely something you can attain both of in London. The ambience of the restaurant is of classic, luxurious sophistication, modernised with little quirks such as the lighting. Whilst the room has an air of class, it’s warmed by the friendly service from staff. The food was delicious, served in proportions that would better suit it to a ‘supper’; that whole hearty meal of the day that warms you through and satisfies the taste buds to the pit of your stomach. We had the lamb shank, with an extra portion of mash between us, the mash was definitely not needed and despite not having a starter, there certainly wasn’t any room left for dessert… Guess I’ll have to choose that course next time. C.x Much more to be found on my blog! Plum & Spilt Milk —
Joe X.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Phoenix, AZ
I had a phenomenal meal here. Expert service provided by Francesco. He helped me compose my meal which was perfect in every way: goat cheese and beet salad, cod with razors clams, side of seasonal buttered greens and buttermilk pudding with blood orange sauce. One of the finest meals I have had anywhere in a long time. Service and ambiance were impeccable. Go, you will not regret it.
Sabrina C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Meal ordered: Ribeye steak and Baked Alaska(for two) Pros: 1) The service is impeccable. I asked where I could find the toilets and instead of pointing(which in itself is quite normal and acceptable), the waiter walked me to the door. Dinner service was excellent; the staff again were very attentive. 2) The ambiance is great. I was in a party of six and even though the restaurant was full, we didn’t have to shout to each other in order to be heard. The acoustics are great there in the sense that your table still feels intimate even though there are tons of people around you. 3) My ribeye steak was delicious. The vegetable sides were equally delicious. And the Baked Alaska! It was flambéed table-side. I loved it. Cons: 1) None, really. I had a phenomenal business dinner there and was quite pleased with everything. Summary: I will recommend it to any of my friends or colleagues traveling through London.
Charles H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dunn, NC
What a great experience here. Fantastic service, better food. Had fish soup, Sunday roast, pork belly, salted caramel mousse, and buttermilk pudding. Everything was fantastic, really enjoyed the mousse. Be prepared for a slow pace of dining.
Selma W.
Rating des Ortes: 3 East London, United Kingdom
This place is a little fancier than I’d bargained on. The prices don’t reflect the grandeur and the(imo) affected attitude of the staff. Ordering tap water I got ‘very good madam’… maybe I’m just not used to it. On the most important note the food was delicious. I had the burratta salad with marinated roated courgette. My friend’s superfood-ish salad was also tasty and a massive portion. Would go back if I was wearing a dress and wanted to feel like a princess.
Patricia E.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Seattle, WA
The ambience and impeccable staff made this a lovely dining experience. We are staying at the hotel and decided to try out the hotel restaurant at the last minute. We are so glad we changed plans. The handcrafted cocktails were spot on and refreshing. Salads were fresh and colorful. We had a fish and ribeye for our mains and both were delicious. The only thing I might have changed is the dressing on my Caesar salad — a bit too heavy and lacking seasoning — but that’s a matter of preference. Host/hostess, wait staff were all attentive and gracious.
Kristen C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
King’s Cross is becoming a hotspot these days for new places to eat and drink, and what originally would have been an off putting location to the trendy set, such as a restaurant in a hotel in the train station, is instead a pretty place in a vibrant part of town. And this is apparent in the Great Northern Hotel and their quite fashionable bar and restaurant. The menu is modern British, with an outstanding beef Wellington among other selections. Solid wine list and attentive staff make for a cosmopolitan experience.
Mike J.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Little Rock, AR
I have previously written a review regarding the service at this restaurant. I am staying at the hotel, which I like a lot, and thought I would try again. What a mistake. The service here is deplorable. Not that the staff isn’t friendly — they are. But they are the most inattentive, slowest staff I have ever witnessed. Be warned.
Jing Shyang Y.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Barnsbury, London, United Kingdom
If you were to rate a place on atmosphere, this place would be right up there. It’s the sort of place you feel right at home, despite being part of a hotel. The lovely large windows, natural light, well polished floors. Every detail has been thought out to perfection, it’s cluttered, but cluttered in a Sherlock Holmes type of way. The food, I was not so much in awe of. Ordering Eggs Royale which is essentially the well known Eggs Benedict with Salmon instead of Ham, it looked great, but was lacking a little in garnish. Other than the muffin, egg, salmon and hollandaise sauce, there was nothing else. Not a sprinking of pepper, or garnish of rocket. It was fine, but there was nothing special at all. Perhaps I have a bias that places with extremely expressive decors need to to some also spectacular and expressive in the kitchen, I’m often left disappointed, so to be fair, the food was good. I have to say we were there a while and the service otherwise was impeccable other than our request for table water being forgotten twice. We never felt rushed and whilst I had to miss out on dessert, the pictures of the signature dish, the Plum, Spilt Milk and Ice Cream looks so amazing I think I’ll just have to go back and give that a go. In all, I have to say in terms of impressive experiences, this is a hit, having not tried dessert, I will have to reserve judgement completely, but this is a decent location to take entertain or just have a long weekend brunch. Given the fact not many people know about it, you probably don’t need to book either.
Rachel Z.
Rating des Ortes: 4 San Francisco, CA
5 of us had brunch there and it lasted from 10:30am– 4pm, could this be a world record? Before leaving London I met up with some of my favourite Unilocalers for brunch here. After examining a list of potential brunch spots, we decided on Plum because it was easy to make reservation and easy to get to(right outside of King’s Cross). It’s an elegant restaurant. Leather couches and arm chairs, nice table with copper rim, the lights hanging from the ceiling were absolutely beautiful. You know it’s relatively new but it gives the vibe of an old school café. On the staircase to the restaurant there’s an enormous chair in the corner, which added some fun flavour. The relaxing atmosphere made it so easy for us to chat away the morning and a good half of the afternoon. The breakfast menu is quite simple. Most of us ordered Egg Benedict, I found the sauce a little rich for my taste but then again I was never a huge fan of hollandaise sauce(*gasp*). We each ordered a different dessert and shared, they were all delightful though my favourite was probably the«Plum & Spilt Milk”, which has nicely roasted plum with milk ice cream. Our servers were very attentive and accommodating. Will come back again.
Yee Gan O.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Good choice, Rachel Z. One of my favourite SF Unilocal friends was in town and for her farewell brunch, we came up with Plum and Spilt Milk(my shortlist, her final choice) The restaurant is located inside the Great Northern Hotel located between King’s Cross and St Pancras train stations. The hotel and the dining room are quite magical, perhaps appropriate for a hotel attached to the famous station housing platfomr 9 and ¾. I was especially taken with the giant bulbs in the restaurant with large glowing filaments We intended to have brunch but as one of our party was running a bit late, we just made the deadline for ordering. In fact, our ahem 4 hours of chatting led to us ordering dessert from the lunch menu at teatime! The staff were great throughout, never hurrying us I enjoyed my eggs royale, which was basically eggs benedit with smoked salmon rather than ham. There were 2 in a portion though they looked a little nude on the plate on their own — could have done with a little garnish. It was a decadently rich dish, which suited me fine The desserts were plated beautifully. Good flavours. The most unusual and tasty was the eponymous ‘plum and spilt milk’, stewed plums served on crispy brioche A most fun way to spend brunch and tea!
Chad E.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
From the stunning dining room to the delicious food the experience here is lovely. I could sit in this room all night alas one does need to eat and what a tasty treat you’re in for here. I had a wonderful starter of a squash and truffle soup and followed with a main of fish and chips. Now hold on a minute you’re probably asking ‘what, you go to a fabulous place like this and order such a simple item?’ and my response is, why not! I was truly impressed. The coating on the fish was just right with a balanced light crispiness. The fish was very nice and flaky which completed the dish. Of course the mushy peas were a nice finish for this classic main. To end this wonderful meal I had a nice cup of mint tea and then some apple crumble tart. This American Southerner in London had a fantastic meal and I’ll certainly be back y’all.
Ben W.
Rating des Ortes: 2 London, United Kingdom
All the bling with none of the ding ding ding. Plum and Spilt Milk dazzles with mirrors and lamps and carefully placed nice looking things everywhere. But what it lacks is any real energy. We went at lunchtime. It wasn’t packed but there were a good few diners. It’s comfy if a little starchy and the room is bright and airy. Service is polite but a bit stilted. Menu is full of lovely english meaty fare. I had a pork chop with a glazed apple. All perfectly well done. But there was just something missing, and I don’t mean chips cos I ordered them separately. I don’t know, maybe it’s a sense of fun or surprise. We’re sitting in the heart of one of the oldest and biggest train stations in the world in the hotel where all sorts of mankiness used to happen. I think some of that sense of adventure is lacking. I had a similar experience at the Gilbert Scott a stones throw away at the St Pancras Hotel. All very lovely but lacking in any real passion and energy. And I would say the same in this review as I did in the former. Hotel is downright dingy and ugly in comparison to the two hotels across the road, but the restaurant experience knocks both of them into a cocked hat. The food is as delightful as it is surprising and the staff enjoy serving it and talking about it. That’s what’s lacking at Plum and Spilt Milk. A vibe. A soul. A sense that the people there are having fun. You can’t drink in the atmosphere here, and you certainly can’t eat the mirrors and the lamps, so you leave feeling hungry, however many triple cooked chips you’ve scoffed. They’ve chucked plenty of money at the place and it’s a fine menu well executed. But at the price, you’ll find a better all round experience in a myriad of places around good old London Town. I feel mean now.
Sarah M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Beautiful dining room, cheery, welcoming staff. We have been going since the preview soft opening and the staff remembered us which is always a nice touch. Great food and even better cocktails. Never had a bad meal there and particularly enjoyed the mushroom tart. The interior is great and there are particularly thoughtful touches for travellers given they’re so close to kings x and st pancras, with plug sockets(UK and European) and charging stations at each table. A warm and friendly ambience, top notch food with plenty of great veggie choices and fabulous cocktails, with welcoming service. Always worth a visit.
Reena P.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Walnut Creek, CA
Came here for an early lunch after taking the Eurostar from Paris to London. I ordered a cappuccino and the avocado toast. The cappuccino was delicious, but the avocado toast was exquisite. The ingredients were incredibly fresh and my dish was beautifully plated. The only downside was I ended up paying about $ 40 us dollars for everything. Yikes!
James L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Fantastic interiors. I had the salted beef on toast to start, it was tasty without wowing. The mains however were delicious. Had the steak which was perfectly cooked(medium rare) with a fabulously charcoal flavour. Washed it all down with several rounds of cocktails, the best being the Oriental Express — chillies and lychees, brilliant! Just a hint of heat to cut through the richness of the egg whites and sweet lychees
Miraj G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
The décor for Plum and Spilt Milk is carefully selected, but also classy without feeling there is a dress code as such. You are walking into the Great Northern Hotel, so you can dress up if you want, and equally dress down and feel comfortable as the other customers are quite relaxed. The menu is simple, but for a fussy eater like myself, you are even more options of what you might want for a starter… I went for the crab and avocado on toast — it was fresh, creamy and had a bite to it with the chili. The portion size was good as my main was a steak cooked medium rare — often, in London, the steaks are not cooked to your preference, but PSM did well ! If you like a smokey, charcoal flavour on your steak, this is the place to have steak at. The winter greens blended well with the smokey flavours, the smoked paprika fries were delicious. Without much room left for dessert, you could see blazed alaskas and cinnamon ice cream… I think there must be another visit…
Shayan S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
Came here for dinner having just gotten off the eurostar from Paris. We started off with a drink at the GNH bar… mocktails, really, as I’m detoxing from alcohol after 5 very liver intensive days in Ibiza. The drinks were great, the atmosphere was nice… but I think the live DJ in the corner was trying a little bit too hard. In any case, the review if for the restaurant, not the bar, which are 2 separate entities. The assiette de charcuterie is generous, and the quality of the cold cuts are pretty good. A little bit more variety would be nice, but the stuff was good. I had the fish soup, which had just enough balance of roux, but I like mine slightly stewier(is that even a word? Anyway, you know what I mean… less brothy, more soupy). But the taste was excellent; nothing over-powering, super well balanced. The fish menu looks pretty good. I hesitated between the John Dory with roasted artichoke and girolles vs the Seabass with INKA roasted tomatoes… Went with the Seabass. Inka ovens are designed to use coconut charcoal, a natural by-product of the coconut husk which produces a ‘flameless’ burn and is virtually smoke free. «It burns hotter than wood charcoal and the key thing is it doesn’t flare up, even if you drop fat on it,» according to them. Essentially this is a design barbecue. Regardless, the seabass was perfectly cooked. The roasted tomatoes have perfect acidity, and the purée was so, so good. The side dishes on order however, are a bit lacking in inspiration. Didn’t have anything of note. The servivce is adequate, but really depends on the server. Some are really attentive, others feel like they don’t want to be working. The hostesses are super nice and helpful. Definitely a nice place to go to in the King’s Cross area.