Hawksmoor is a British institution at this point, and the Sunday roast alone has earned their reputation. The St. Pancras location is the newest in the family of steakhouses, part of a major hotel and restaurant renovation inside the historic station. The dining room is beautiful. The steaks are exactly what you would expect from Hawksmoor. But the real reason to come here is the Martini Bar.
It sits inside one of the most dramatic rooms in London. Soaring ceilings, the sound of shakers, DJ sets in the evening. St. Pancras is where you catch the Eurostar to Paris, and the bar somehow matches the scale of that. It feels like a proper event, not just a drink before dinner.
Order the “direct” martini. It is served Duke’s style. Sub-zero Tanqueray No. 10 poured into a chilled glass, and we ate well.
Scottish scallops and a Caesar salad to start, then a Chateaubriand with béarnaise and bone marrow. The steakhouse sides were all solid and the sticky toffee pudding was one of the best we have had that was not homemade by our Scottish auntie. That is not a compliment we give lightly.
But we will be back for the bar. It is just steps from our house, and there is no better excuse to walk over on a weeknight than a martini in that room.
Note: Hawksmoore provided support for the reporting of this story.