Central Station defies preconceptions of gay venues: quietly classy, cosy and not at all loud (apart from when the drag queens are on stage), this space is ideal for a relaxed drink in an environment that makes you feel at home.

The Venue
Neither snobbishly sleek nor overpoweringly sweet, Central Station strikes the perfect balance by combining cosy furnishing with contemporary trends to create an environment which is not only pleasant to the eye but creates a fine, relaxed atmosphere.

Hidden away behind King’s Cross and spread evenly over two floors, at street level there is a bar area furnished with couches, stools, a roaring fireplace and trendy floral wallpaper. The bar is small and tucked away unobtrusively at the back, while near the entrance the split-level doubles as a private area and stage for cabaret. Upstairs, the dining area revolves around the fireplace with painted tiles, and the space is furnished with simple wooden chairs and tables, reminiscent of no-frills country homes. The real gem here is the roof terrace: medium in size but big in atmosphere, this is the perfect spot for a night time cocktail during summer evenings.

The Atmosphere
Central Station stands out on the gay scene for its gentle, tranquil and intimate atmosphere - there is no loud pop music, dark corners or camp, judgemental behaviour anywhere. This is the ideal spot to relax over a couple of glasses of wine. A pool table adds another element of entertainment and Central Station even does bed and breakfast. Despite its quieter moments, the weekends are livened up by flashy cabaret performances, where flamboyant drag queens fight for attention and laughter.

The Drink
Beer and wine dominate. You can pick from Becks Vier, Boddingtons, Staropramen and others on draught (£3.10-£3.70), while the best options out of the bottles (£3.50-£4) are Corona, Leffe and Peroni. The prices are slightly steep but the atmosphere is worth the extra few pennies. If you fancy wine, you can pick from a dozen bottles (cheap at £14-£19.20; £3.80-£5 per small glass; £5-£6.70 per large one) and there are even two organic wines: a French Chablis and an Italian Sangiovese. Sparkling wine is just as well priced with Cava starting from £18 and a bottle of Piper Heidsieck rising to a very affordable £33.50. If you are looking for a vast list of cocktails, though, you may be disappointed: a Smirnoff Moscow Mule and Morgans Spiced Cuba Libre (£4.90) are about your lot. However, standard spirits are rather fairly priced at £2.50-£2.70 for a single (£4.80-£5 for a double) while premium brands are only a few pence more at £3-£3.10 (£5.20-£5.60 for a double) so you should not miss your Cosmopolitan too dearly.

The Food
Central Station now serves hot meals to the office crowd at lunch, as well as dinners to a predominantly gay crowd in the evening. The food is knowledgeably prepared and the daily specials are particularly well thought-of. The bar nibbles (£2.25-£5) include coconut-breaded butterfly king prawns, calamari with tartar sauce, Welsh rarebit on ciabatta and more. The pub classics (£4-£8) are just as ‘classic’ as you expect: omelette, scampi, honey roast ham with eggs, as well as toasted baguette or ciabatta with dry-cured beef and horseradish are just some of the options.

The weekly-changing lunch and dinner menu (£11-£15) is where things pick up some creativity. Your options widen to include asparagus spears with parmesan, lime and leek bread pudding, Moroccan prawns and spinach, and slow-cooked lamb served on a potato and celeriac rosti with honey glazed vegetables.

The Last Word
Camp attitude? Cocktails? Loud pop music? Not here. Central Station is tranquil, wonderfully pleasant and filled with a sense of fun. This bar is simply addictive.

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