Island

‘Surf and turf’ is – usually – just a phrase that describes two types of food put together on a plate, but here it’s a considered, merged concept. And that’s one of the things that sets Mare Street Market’s Island at London’s King’s Cross, apart: the food is both fun and really good. Barbecued Tamworth chops with a brown crab glaze and slaw laced with white crab should be ridiculous, as should prawn crackers that taste, in the best possible way, like giant Skips, and are used to scoop up rich beef tartare dipped in oyster emulsion. But far from it. And a momentous mixed grill is a game changer: chicken legs stuffed with prawn mousse; scallops bathed in a roe butter; and a lamb cutlet to dip into a mint and laverbread relish (worth visiting for this alone). Take a bow, Brad Carter and Tom Brown.

Words by Alex Mead.

This article was taken from the August/September 2025 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.